Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects 2-3% of the population worldwide. 40-60% of patients do not respond to first-line interventions. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of a single dose of psilocybin in patients with treatment-resistant OCD. Methods: In this phase 2, randomized, double-blind trial, we randomly assigned 28 adults with tre...
Current neuroscience research calls into question the binary model of anesthesia as a state of consciousness shifted by unconsciousness, replacing it with an idea of consciousness as a continuum created by interactions between large-scale cortex and subcortical regions.Meanwhile, psychedelic drugs are making a comeback as potential treatments for treatment-r...
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) is emerging as a novel intervention for major psychiatric disorders, most notably major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While psychotherapy is widely regarded as a core element of PAP its precise role remains poorly defined. This narrative review traces the development of PAP withi...
Psychedelic substances reliably occasion transient self-transcendent states, including mystical-type experiences, which are theorized to support salutogenic psychological change and long-term well-being. Despite growing interest in these phenomena, little is known about how acute self-transcendent states translate into enduring trait-level changes, or whethe...
Background: Psilocybin has shown promise in neuropsychiatric disorders but presents a paradoxical relationship with seizures and epilepsy. Methods: A narrative review was conducted up to November 23, 2025. We conducted structured literature searches across PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science. and Google Scholar using MeSH terms and keywords to identify st...
Classic psychedelics and related substances, such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), have again become a focus of interest in psychiatry as potential therapeutic tools. The aim of this paper is to review current data on their mechanisms of action, clinical applications in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, addictions and post-traumatic st...
Personality disorders (PDs) are characterized by rigid and maladaptive patterns of self- and interpersonal functioning, leading to high clinical burden and limited treatment outcomes. Schema Therapy (ST), an integrative psychotherapy rooted in cognitive-behavioral principles, conceptualizes PDs in terms of Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMS)-pervasive cognitive-...
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) has emerged as a promising and innovative approach to treating a range of mental health disorders, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders. Once sidelined due to regulatory bans and social stigma, psychedelics such as psilocybin, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), lyse...
Introduced in 2014 and revised in 2018, the entropic brain hypothesis has accrued a wealth of supportive evidence. The hypothesis states that- along a dimension of breadth of conscious experience- ‘expansive states’ reliably exhibit increased brain entropy whereas the inverse applies for states of no or reduced consciousness. Examples of expansive states inc...
Abstract Substance use disorders (SUDs) are increasingly common in the United States, and while this may be a dilemma for those using, it also inflicts problems for those around the user. In couples where drug abuse is present, negative codependent characteristics can arise independently in the non-user, having a damaging effect on the couple dynamic. This i...
As psychedelic use increases, understanding how demographic and behavioral factors influence the effects of psychedelics is essential for both research and public health. This cross-sectional retrospective study examined 365 people who currently use psilocybin, analyzing differences in acute experiences, psychological outcomes, and substance co-use patterns....
Humphry Osmond coined the term ‘psychedelic’ in 1956, conjoining ‘psyche’ for ‘soul’ and ‘delic’ from ‘dêlos’ for ‘to manifest’ or ‘illuminate.’ Soul-illumination is an adjective that describes a psychological state or process. However, Osmond’s intention was to use the adjective to name- not just a state- but a category of drug that can induce the subjectiv...
This narrative review synthesized the use of psilocybin-assisted therapy as a promising treatment for alleviating death anxiety in terminally ill patients. The insights presented are derived from findings reported in previous studies. Therefore, this review aimed to assess the efficacy, pharmacology, and mechanisms by which psilocybin alters brain function b...
Abstract: Background: Psychedelic-assisted therapy is increasingly being explored as potential treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs). While multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses have examined this topic, the efficacy, methodological quality, and overlap of the existing evidence base remain unclear. Methods: We conducted an umbrella review of ...
Interest and use of psychedelic substances is on the rise in the general population. Research has mainly focused on therapeutic applications in formal treatment settings, and little is known about persistent negative effects in naturalistic use. The aim of this paper is to present a clinically relevant overview of the phenomenology and symptoms of enduring m...
Microdosing - the practice of consuming extremely low doses of classical psychedelic substances that do not elicit overt psychedelic effects - has gained significant attention as a potential method for enhancing cognitive performance. However, findings from controlled studies remain mixed and inconclusive. This preregistered meta-analysis examined the cognit...
BACKGROUND: Chronic pain affects nearly one in five adults worldwide and remains a major healthcare burden due to its persistence, multidimensional impact, and resistance to conventional therapies. The opioid crisis has further highlighted the urgent need for safer and more effective alternatives. Psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic compound, has re-emerg...
Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting roughly 322 million people. Recently, doses of psilocybin have shown promise in treating mood disorders, sparking interest in other dosing practices. According to anecdotal reports and observational studies, microdosing psilocybin yields benefits to mental hea...
Serotonergic psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and dimethyltryptamine (DMT), are increasingly recognised as powerful tools to advance the understanding of consciousness and its relation to brain activity. Psychedelic research has informed neuroscientific theories that attempt to map neural observations of network connec...
