This phase I trial evaluates the side effects of psilocybin and how well it works under supportive care conditions in cancer survivors living with demoralization and chronic pain. Cancer patients often experience demoralization, which is characterized by feelings of hopelessness, loss of meaning, and existential distress. Psilocybin psychotherapy, together w...
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant global health challenge, with limited effective treatments for its acute and chronic consequences. TBI is characterized by neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, impaired neuroplasticity, imbalances in neurotransmission, and cell death - factors that contribute to the development of neurological and psychiatric dis...
The psychedelic psilocybin may have lasting therapeutic effects for patients with chronic pain syndromes. Some clinical and preclinical data suggest these putative benefits derive from direct analgesic effects. However, this possibility has not been comprehensively tested in preclinical models. Here, we show that psilocybin is not analgesic over a range of d...
IntroductionNatural hallucinogens derived from fungi and animals have been used for centuries in shamanic, ritualistic, and medicinal practices across diverse cultures. These compounds exhibit a widerange of structures and mechanisms of action, affecting various neurotransmitter systems pathways. Fungal hallucinogens, primarily indole alkaloids like psilocyb...
Background: Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a chronic pathological condition with significant burdens throughout the world. Despite the effectiveness of the current pharmacological treatments, the ongoing issues with AUD and the high relapse rates necessitate the exploration of innovative therapies, including the use of psychedelic drugs, which have shown prom...
Depression and anxiety are disabling and high incidence mental disorders characterized by phenotypic heterogeneity. Currently available treatments show severe limitations. Thus, there is an urgent need for effective treatments in this population. In the search for novel rapid-acting antidepressants, the psychedelic psilocybin has emerged as a promising thera...
This is an open-label, single-arm, pilot study exploring the neural, sensory, and cognitive effects of a single, medium dose of psilocybin in patients with chronic pain who already have implanted sensing-capable deep brain stimulation (DBS) devices. Outcomes include multi-site neural recording from previously placed ambulatory sensing-capable DBS devices, qu...
Millions worldwide suffer from chronic pain, a complex condition often accompanied by depression and anxiety, highlighting the urgent need for innovative treatments. Classic psychedelics, including psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), primarily act on serotonin 5-HT2A receptors and have emerged as potential modulato...
Ketamine has transformed depression treatment by providing therapeutic relief within a single day, unlike monoaminergic antidepressants that require weeks to take effect. Here, we conducted whole-brain screening in mice to compare drug-evoked c-fos expression-acting as a marker of brain activity leading to protein synthesis-dependent forms of plasticity-foll...
BACKGROUND: Psychedelic treatment is a rapidly emerging therapeutic approach for a host of chronic, difficult to treat psychiatric disorders, including anorexia nervosa (AN). Trauma and its sequelae, such as dissociation, often contribute to comorbidity and treatment refractoriness. AIMS: In this report, we describe the therapeutic emergence of previously di...
BACKGROUND: The psychedelic psilocybin has been posited as efficacious for the treatment of depression. However, the potential link between the intensity of acute psychedelic effects and long-term therapeutic outcomes remains undiscovered. Moreover, the impact of classical antidepressant drugs that modulate serotonergic activity on psilocybin's effects is a ...
Abstract Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability that affects over 300 million people globally. Despite multiple antidepressant trials, approximately one-third of MDD patients remain symptomatic, progressing to treatment-resistant depression (TRD). This persistence possibly is due to the multifaceted etiology of TRD, encompassing bio...
Background Cluster headache is an excruciating condition for which standard treatments are usually insufficient. Evidence has accumulated that serotonergic psychedelic indoleamines including psilocybin and LSD can be effective in preventing attacks. Methods In this case series, nine patients with episodic and chronic cluster headache that didn’t respond to c...
Psilocybin, the chemical component of "magic mushrooms", has been administered with psychotherapy in several randomized clinical trials (RCTs) showing large and sustained antidepressant effects. The purpose of this study is to assess the feasibility, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of psilocybin therapy for adults with chronic neuropathic pain and co-...
Background: Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a common cause of neurological symptoms including seizures and movement disorders. It can be debilitating, is associated with high health and social care costs, and can have a poor prognosis. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has suggested FND is a multi-network disorder. Converging evidence su...
Regulatory compliance is crucial in the clinical development of psychedelic substances, including psilocybin. This study aimed to examine the alignment of clinical trial protocols for psilocybin in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) with established regulatory requirements.A cross-sectional investigation...
The pressing need for effective fibromyalgia (FM) treatments, the known safety of psilocybin therapy, and the mechanistic plausibility for potential benefit provide a backdrop for investigating psilocybin therapy as a treatment for FM. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the clinical benefit of oral psilocybin in concert with psychotherapy to ...
Summary Microdosing, the prolonged ingestion of psychedelics at sub-hallucinogenic doses, has gained popularity for its perceived cognitive and emotional benefits. Psychedelics have high affinity for 5-HT2B receptors, which cause heart disease with strong chronic activation. We investigated the effects of microdosed psychedelics on cardiovascular health in m...
