Background: Structural inequalities in healthcare access may influence how individuals experience the psychological effects of psychedelic substances, potentially limiting positive outcomes among vulnerable populations. Objectives: This study uses data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2008-2019; N = 484,732) to examine how public and private ...
Psychedelic substances are increasingly recognized for their therapeutic potential to ease psychological suffering linked to end-of-life issues. However, amid renewed scientific and public interest, policy remains restrictive. Existing reviews have made progress in synthesizing the results of studies of psychedelic interventions, especially psilocybin, and p...
This thesis explores the psychosocial mechanisms underlying therapeutic responses to psychedelic interventions, advancing an enactive biopsychosocial perspective that foregrounds dynamic and reciprocal causal relationships between biological, psychological, and social processes. While clinical studies increasingly demonstrate the efficacy of serotonergic psy...
As we see an increase in the cost of and decrease in access to healthcare in the United States, many individuals are searching for ways to “self-medicate”. While scientific literature on the effectiveness of psilocybin as a treatment for mental and physical health concerns is limited, evidence of use for these purposes may show a need for further research. T...
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...
ObjectivesPsychological and existential distress is prevalent among patients with life-threatening cancer, significantly impacting their quality of life. Psilocybin-assisted therapy has shown promise in alleviating these symptoms. This systematic review aims to synthesize the evidence on the efficacy and safety of psilocybin in reducing cancer-related distre...
Objective: Prior research has found an association between psychedelic use and reduced stigma attached to mental illness. However, whether psychedelics alleviate stigma-related distress remains unclear. Since stigma impacts different groups uniquely, any moderating effect of psychedelics on stigma-related distress is likely to vary across subpopulations. Thi...
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy represents a promising addition to palliative care interventions, potentially improving quality of life by addressing existential distress. Despite its safety and effectiveness, this therapy remains limited in Canada, underscoring the need for improved access to ease suffering from life-threatening illnesses. However, import...
Psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic, may have therapeutic benefits for Substance Use Disorders (SUDs), but its overall efficacy and safety remain uncertain. This systematic review assessed the safety and efficacy of psilocybin for SUDs through a systematic database search conducted via OVID on May 22, 2024, and summarized 26 ongoing clinical trials regist...
IntroductionAlthough long known for their psychoactive effects, psychedelic drugs have only recently been investigated for medicinal use. Psilocybin has attracted the greatest interest with studies suggesting that it may be a useful agent in psychiatry and in palliative care.Areas coveredClinical trials that included psilocybin were searched in PubMed, Embas...
This is a single-arm, open-label interventional study of psilocybin-assisted interpersonal therapy for treatment resistant depression. 20 participants will be recruited to take part in this 8-week intervention that involves 8 sessions of psychotherapy and 2 doses of psilocybin. Study Design Interventional, Single arm, open label 1\. Hypotheses: 1. It is feas...
The medical utility of psychedelics has been the subject of significant scientific interest in recent years. While most of these substances remain Schedule I under the Controlled Substances Act, advancements in research have led states to consider expanding legal access, impacting primary care, where patients often seek mental health support and treatment. I...
Brain aging (BA) processes are complex, often affect multiple systems, and frequently lead to cognitive decline and increased susceptibility to insults. BA appears to be a primary risk for the development of many prominent neurodegenerative pathologies. The US Census Bureau predicts that the aging population (65+) will represent a greater proportion of the U...
The stressors that frontline healthcare workers experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread burnout, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Based on research showing that psychedelic-assisted therapy led to improvement in symptoms of depression in various populations, investigators conducted a randomized clinical trial to evalu...
= 7) in an open-label trial investigating PAT for cancer-related demoralization and chronic pain. Patients and caregivers were interviewed after their last treatment session in the trial; facilitators were interviewed at the end of the entire trial. Rapid qualitative analysis identified specific domains for improvement in the treatment protocol based on the ...
Over a decade after the first edition of "Behavioral Neurobiology of Alcohol Addiction," this chapter revisits the field at a critical juncture, marked by both persistent challenges and emerging opportunities. We reflect on the translational gap that has stalled the development of new treatments for alcohol use disorder (AUD), despite decades of promising pr...
OBJECTIVES: Psychospiritual distress affects many patients with cancer, contributing to diminished quality of life, decreased survival and a desire for hastened death. The current standard of care, which primarily consists of antidepressants and psychotherapy, has demonstrated only modest benefits. Psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) has shown evidence of rapi...
Background: Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is experiencing a resurgence, with expanding evidence proving its efficacy for treatment-resistant psychiatric-mental health conditions. Psychiatric-mental health nurses (PMHNs) are uniquely positioned to provide PAT due to their integrated care capabilities, yet their roles are poorly defined. Aim: This review ...
Selecting the optimal dose of psilocybin for treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) is crucial for clinical development and regulatory approval. This meta-analysis evaluates psilocybin's efficacy and safety in treating MDD to determine the optimal dose and timing for clinical trials. A systematic review and Dose-Res...