BackgroundThe Altered States of Consciousness Scale (3/5D-ASC or 11-ASC) is widely used to assess non-ordinary states of consciousness, particularly for psychedelic research. However, its original dimensional model (3D-ASC within 5D-ASC) and later 11-subscale structure (11-ASC) have a hierarchically incompatible higher/lower-order structure. Although the 11-...
Psilocybin, a naturally occurring tryptamine alkaloid found in over 200 species of fungi, has emerged as a focal point in the modern revival of psychedelic science. Once relegated to the margins of psychopharmacology due to its association with counterculture and strict legal restrictions, psilocybin is now undergoing a scientific renaissance. This transform...
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, ...
Australia's reclassification of psilocybin as a Schedule 8 substance for treatment-resistant depression represents a significant shift in psychiatric policy. While this regulatory change positions Australia as a global leader in psychedelic medicine, its implementation has revealed substantial challenges. This article critically examines the regulatory, ethi...
BACKGROUND: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental disorder commonly treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, atypical antipsychotic augmentation and cognitive-behavioural therapy. However, up to 60% of people with OCD do not respond to these treatments. Therefore, a novel intervention, psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PA...
Objective: To compare acceptability and effectiveness of psilocybin, ketamine and commonly prescribed antidepressants in the management of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Methods: This is a systematic review with network meta-analysis. The survey was conducted between January and June 2023, employing MEDLINE, PsyINFO, Embase, Web of Science and ClinicalTria...
Abstract Psilocybin has demonstrated promising antidepressant effects in depression and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in controlled clinical trials. However, its effectiveness and safety in real-world therapeutic settings remain largely unknown. Although psilocybin is not yet approved as an antidepressant treatment, Switzerland’s unique legal framewor...
Introduction: The subjective effects of psilocybin on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are under-explored. Therefore, we conducted a qualitative study of participant experiences from the first randomized placebo-controlled trial of single-dose psilocybin combined with unstructured and non-directive support for individuals with treatment-refractory OCD. Ou...
The global demographic shift toward aging populations has intensified the need for innovative therapeutic interventions targeting late-life mental health conditions, notably depression, loneliness, and existential distress. Traditional pharmacological treatments often exhibit limited efficacy and poor tolerability in older patients, primarily due to age-rela...
Metastability of BOLD fMRI signals is a commonly used proxy of brain dynamics in behavioral and clinical studies. To date, little has been done to assess the confidence with which we can use estimates of metastability as reliable biomarkers of individual brain state. We analyze whole-brain and network-specific metastability for a highly sampled individual br...
Background Classic serotonergic psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin show promising antidepressant effects in controlled trials, but real-world data from routine clinical care remain limited. Methods This study retrospectively analysed routine data from adults with treatment-resistant depressive and/or anxiety disorders who received a first standardized P...
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...
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...
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...
Emerging evidence suggests that classical psychedelics may offer therapeutic potential for opioid use disorder (OUD) by alleviating key hallmarks such as altered reward processing and dependence. However, the mechanisms behind these effects remain unclear. Our data demonstrate that a single administration of the psychedelic psilocybin (PSI) reduces condition...
First-hand experience with psychedelics may help clinicians develop skills and knowledge needed to work with the profound changes to conscious awareness occasioned by psychedelics. However, the topic remains contentious and underexplored. In this world-first study, we investigated the utility of psilocybin experiential therapist training in a sample of 14 me...
