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...
Objectives: This study investigates psychedelic drugs to treat substance use disorder (SUD). Researchers have recently begun conducting clinical trials of psychedelic treatment for SUD. The current meta-analysis investigates the extent of efficacy in alleviating SM behaviours (P) using psychedelic therapy (I), concurrent with determining which psychedelic en...
Psychedelic research is progressing at breakneck speed and is creating new challenges for drug developers, regulatory authorities, and legislators. Most “classic” psychedelics undergoing clinical investigation are C-I controlled drugs with perceived high potential for abuse and no medical use. These and next-generation psychedelic drug-candidates require sci...
Human neuroimaging studies report that psychedelics induce serotonin-2A receptor-dependent changes in functional brain reorganization, presumably reflecting neuromodulation. However, these studies often overlook the potent vasoactive effects of serotonin. Here we identified psilocybin-induced alterations in hemodynamic response functions during human functio...
Based on promising preliminary results from clinical trials, it seems likely that psychedelic substances (classic serotonergic psychedelics, such as psilocybin, and entactogens, such as MDMA) will be introduced into psychiatry as psychedelic-assisted therapy. This also raises a range of ethical questions that urgently need to be addressed before widespread r...
BACKGROUND: Depression and burnout, which are common among healthcare workers, were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and psilocybin have been reported to reduce depressive symptoms, but the efficacy of the combination requires comparison to an active treatment control. We sought to evaluate the safety and prelim...
The Hamas-led attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023 was one of the deadliest terror attacks in history, resulting in 1,182 fatalities, over 4,000 wounded, and 251 taken hostage1. The Nova festival, an 18-hour rave held in the Gaza Envelope region, suffered the highest casualties in the attack, with over 370 killed. For the Nova attendees, the highligh...
Exploring the intricate relationship between brain's structure and function, and how this affects subjective experience is a fundamental pursuit in neuroscience. Psychedelic substances offer a unique insight into the influences of specific neurotransmitter systems on perception, cognition and consciousness. Specifically, their impact on brain function propag...
About one in three people with major depression respond poorly to standard antidepressant treatments. This kind of depression is called treatment-resistant depression, and it can lead to long-term disability, financial challenges, and a higher risk of suicide. Psilocybin-a compound found in certain mushrooms-has shown early promise as a new treatment for thi...
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...
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder characterized by compulsive eating restrictions and cognitive inflexibility, which is linked to dysregulation within the cortico-striatal-thalamo cortical (CSTC) circuitry. Dysfunction within the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsal striatum has been implicated in habitual decision making and impaired cognitiv...
Psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic, has emerged as a promising treatment for a range of mental health conditions, including anorexia nervosa. Recent insights from animal models and human imaging studies suggest psilocybin enhances cognitive flexibility and modifies reward processing - two core processes disrupted in anorexia nervosa. Both cognitive flexi...
Objectives: Given the increasing use of psilocybin-containing substances across a variety of use settings, understanding the potential risks is imperative for informing public health policy, health care providers, and consumers. Poison centers (PCs) receive calls following exposures to potential toxins to support the detection, prevention, and treatment of t...
Recent research into classical psychedelics, such as psilocybin, LSD, and DMT, has highlighted their therapeutic potential for mental health disorders. However, emerging evidence suggests their utility may extend beyond treatment into the realm of preventive medicine. This manuscript proposes a novel framework positioning psychedelics as agents of cellular a...
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....
We quantify cellular- and circuit-resolution neural network dynamics following therapeutically relevant doses of the psychedelic psilocybin. Using chronically implanted Neuropixels probes, we recorded local field potentials (LFP) alongside action potentials from hundreds of neurons spanning infralimbic, prelimbic and cingulate subregions of the medial prefro...
Recent advances in psychedelic research have renewed interest in their therapeutic potential for psychiatric disorders characterized by cognitive and behavioral rigidity. This review examines the rationale for using serotonergic psychedelics-particularly 5-HT2A receptor agonists such as psilocybin-in the treatment of eating disorders (EDs), including anorexi...
BACKGROUND: The consumption of dried fruiting bodies of Psilocybe cubensis can be traced over centuries, guided by Mesoamerican curanderas, Western medical practitioners, and fungal enthusiasts, all seeking mental wellbeing. There is a notable resurgence in interest both in the fungal biomass and psilocybin, the psychoactive tryptamine, despite the global re...
Microdosing psychedelics, the regular use of low doses of LSD or psilocybin, have attracted growing public and scientific interest. This review synthesizes findings from 57 human studies on psychological and physiological outcomes in clinical and non-clinical populations. Reported benefits include improved mood, enhanced cognition, social functioning, and me...
