BACKGROUND AND AIMS: There is an urgent unmet need for novel treatments for methamphetamine (MA) use disorder. We explored the qualitative experiences of people participating in a study of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAT) to treat MA use disorder. DESIGN AND SETTING: Qualitative study of participants enrolled in a single arm, open-label pilot study of...
Classic psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin induce mild cardiovascular activation in addition to their psychological effects. While these effects are well described in healthy adults, little is known about their dynamics in clinical populations undergoing psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. This retrospective, observational, ...
Introduction: Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects over 21 million adults in the U.S (NIMH, 2023) and remains a significant public health challenge. Despite the effectiveness of traditional medications, 30% of patients remains resistant. Little is known about the beliefs individuals hold regarding novel treatments, such as psilocybin and the motivations b...
Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating condition leading to significant personal and societal burden. Standard treatments frequently demonstrate limited efficacy, leading to persistent symptoms and high dropout rates. Psilocybin has shown promise in treating depression, a condition that is often comorbid with PTSD. We aimed to ex...
BACKGROUND: The use of psychedelics is currently increasing in the United States. Awareness of clinical trials investigating the therapeutic applications of psychedelics may result in a record number of people who use psychedelics for the first-time. This study aimed to develop a harm-reduction resource to facilitate safe and successful psychedelic experienc...
Renewed interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics has led to increased research, but this work often lacks diverse representation. This study examined the relationships between subjective psychedelic experiences and self-reported improvements in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and substance use among Spanish-speaking individuals. A global sample...
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a highly prevalent disorder with limited therapeutic options. The central amygdala (CeA) is a critical brain region as dysregulation within the CeA and the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system are associated with AUD pathology. CeA CRF1 receptors regulate alcohol drinking and have served as a therapeutic target in alcohol...
The emergence of microdosing introduced a novel approach to consuming classic psychedelic substances, such as LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) and psilocybin mushrooms, in ways previously unconventional. Whereas traditional illicit substance use often seeks euphoric experiences, microdosing deliberately avoids such effects in favor of perceived self-enhancin...
Psilocybin is a serotonergic psychedelic with growing evidence for efficacy in mood disorders, and its therapeutic potential in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related conditions is increasingly recognised but remains understudied. We systematically evaluated clinical and preclinical evidence on psilocybin's effects on obsessive and compulsive behavi...
BACKGROUND: Individuals with advanced cancer often experience high levels of distress for which there are few standardized treatment approaches. Our multidisciplinary team has combined existing evidence-based approaches into Psilocybin-assisted Existential, Attachment, and RelationaL (PEARL) therapy. PEARL therapy combines elements from psilocybin-assisted p...
Psychedelics including psilocybin, dimethyltryptamine, and lysergic acid diethylamide are known to disrupt the normal flow of time perception, for example, producing time dilation, compression, and loss of time. These temporal anomalies provide interesting clues about how the brain processes time, what consciousness is, and what produces the sense of self. T...
OBJECTIVE: Despite growing research on the potential mental health benefits of psychedelics, there has been limited study of these drugs in populations with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and with Hispanic and Latin American (H/L) ancestry. METHODS: Demographic and clinical assessments were conducted as part of the Latin American Trans-ancestry Initiati...
This study explores how individuals from ethnoracially marginalized backgrounds engage with psychedelic substances for psychological healing, cultural reconnection, and resistance to structural neglect in mainstream health care systems. Based on 23 in-depth interviews and participant-observation within a psychedelic preparation and integration training progr...
BACKGROUND & AIMS: There are few effective treatments for methamphetamine use disorder, despite increasing global demand. Here, we assessed the safety and feasibility of outpatient psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for methamphetamine use disorder. DESIGN: Single arm, open label pilot study. SETTING: Outpatient public stimulant treatment program at St. Vince...
Supplement 1. Additional tables presenting primary and secondary outcomes, sensitivity analyses, and exploratory findings. Table A1. ITT analyses for QIDS-SR-16 and MBI-HSS-MP. Table A2. Adjusted ITT analyses for QIDS-SR-16 and MBI-HSS-MP. Table B1. Intent-To-Treat (ITT) Analysis for Demoralization Scale (DSII) and PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Table B2....
Introduction: Aesthetic experiences under psychedelics are often described as vivid, emotionally powerful, and meaningful, yet they remain under-measured in psychometric research. This study aimed to refine and validate the Psychedelic Aesthetic Experience Questionnaire (PAEQ), a novel instrument designed to assess the aesthetic dimensions of acute psychedel...
Abstract Background Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability and economic loss, with high recurrence and treatment resistance. Psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) shows promise in reducing depressive symptoms, but long-term effects are unknown. We aimed to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of PAT for MDD over a five-year follo...
Professor Gregor Hasler stands at the forefront of revolutionary psychedelic research and neuroplasticity studies, transforming our understanding of mental health treatment through groundbreaking scientific discoveries. As Chair of Psychiatry at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, where he directs the Molecular Psychiatry Lab, Hasler has pioneered resea...
Background: Depressive disorders are a major global health challenge, with many individuals unresponsive to existing treatments. Novel psychedelic therapies show promise but require further research. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of psilocybin with psychotherapeutic support for treatment-resistant depressi...
Psychedelic Minimalism: The Case Against Music in Psychedelic Therapy SettingsIn response to: Kaelen et al. (2018), “The Hidden Therapist: Evidence for a Central Role ofMusic in Psychedelic Therapy.”Introduction: Reframing the Role of SettingIn recent years, renewed attention has been given to the centrality of set and setting inpsychedelic-assisted therapy....
