The psychedelic mushroom Psilocybe cubensis is cultivated worldwide for recreational and medicinal use. Described initially from Cuba in 1906, there has been substantial debate about its origin and diversification. The prevailing view is that P. cubensis was inadvertently introduced to the Americas when cattle were introduced to the continent from Africa and...
Abstract Depression and anxiety affect one in five adults, with age affecting prevalence. While clinical trials suggest classic psychedelics (e.g., psilocybin, LSD) and non-classic psychedelics (e.g., MDMA, ketamine) may alleviate these symptoms, it remains unclear how these relationships function in naturalistic settings or how they vary across the lifespan...
This study will examine the safety and preliminary efficacy of psilocybin mushrooms to treat adults with PTSD. Up to 24 participants will take part in this study. Each participant will ingest psilocybin from dried mushrooms in a chocolate formulation.
Abstract Background and Aims Psilocybin is a psychedelic compound that may hold promise for a wide range of human health conditions, yet the identification of therapeutic processes and mechanisms of action remains exploratory. We conducted a scoping review of pre-clinical behavioural investigations of psilocybin in non-human animals to identify behavioural e...
Upwards of 50% of people do not respond to the primary treatment modalities for major depressive disorder (MDD), which has led to increased attention and use of alternative methods, including exercise and psychedelics. While interventions using either exercise or psychedelics have demonstrated largely positive results in isolation, their synergistic potentia...
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if psilocybin, given with psychological support, is safe and helps treat anorexia nervosa in young adults. Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder that currently has no approved medicine. Psilocybin is a psychedelic substance that may help the brain form new connections, which could make it easier for people ...
This study will serve as a pilot randomized controlled trial to assess the feasibility of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy (PAP) in Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Patients with severe IBS will undergo 3 pre-psychotherapy sessions with two licensed and trained psychedelic therapists, then will be randomized to undergo a guided psychotherapy session...
Psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic, can produce rapid and enduring antidepressant effects in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD)[1, 2], yet the neural mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. Negative affective biases are an important neuropsychological mechanism central to the development and perpetuation of MDD[3]. Using a translat...
This study is assessing the efficacy and safety of NPX-5 in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for the treatment of adjustment disorder due to cancer diagnosis. Who is it for? This study is for people who are aged between 18 and 80 years old and suffer from anxiety after adjusting to an acutely stressful event of their cancer diagnosis. This is called adjustm...
This research study will use computerized tasks, electroencephalography (EEG), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look at how the drug psilocybin, a naturally occurring compound contained in hundreds of species of psychoactive mushrooms, changes thoughts and brain activity. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subject, full cross-over study ...
Rationale: Ego-dissolution represents a key therapeutic mechanism in psychedelic-assisted therapy, yet current measurement approaches may inadequately capture its multidimensional nature. Objective: To develop and validate the Multidimensional Ego-Dissolution Assessment (MEDA) and examine substance-specific patterns across classical psychedelics. Methods: It...
This paper follows 8 scientists who ventured into the world of psychedelics on a quest to find transformational pathways forward. Each have worked on aspects of global environmental change for decades, and observing environmental crises converging into a global polycrisis/metacrisis with genuine potential for collapse, we have all carried psychological burde...
Meaning is a primary existential concern in those with advanced illnesses and functions as an important coping mechanism. Loss of meaning contributes to existential distress, and, in particular, may manifest as demoralization, a syndrome of poor coping that is associated with negative outcomes. Psychedelics are unique psychoactive compounds that, among other...
This article corrects an idea in psychedelic science and culture that the ancient Eleusynian Mysteries used psychedelics, as claimed by Carl Ruck and co-authors in (1978), revitalized by Brian Muraresku's (2020), and popularized by social media heavyweights such as Joe Rogan. It begins by exposing critical methodological flaws in the arguments, namely, a pat...
Classic psychedelics, such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), have emerged as potent modulators of neuroplasticity and metaplasticity in the adult brain, offering novel therapeutic strategies for neuropsychiatric disorders. Recent findings reveal that beyond their transient psychotropic effects, these compounds...
Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent and disabling psychiatric condition associated with substantial clinical, social, and economic burden [1,2]. Despite the availability of conventional antidepressants, their limited effectiveness, delayed onset of action, and high relapse rates have renewed interest in innovative therapeutic ap...
Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of the brain to modify synaptic connections and reorganize neural circuits, underpinning cognitive function, emotional regulation, and recovery from injury. Recent advances have redefined adult neuroplasticity as more dynamic and therapeutically accessible than previously thought, spurring investigation into pharmacologi...
Psilocybin, a classic psychedelic compound, has garnered renewed interest as a potential treatment for various psychiatric disorders. This review provides a comprehensive overview of psilocybin's history, recent clinical evidence, ongoing clinical trials, neuroimaging findings, and regulations. Historically used in spiritual and healing rituals, psilocybin w...
Abstract Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States and Europe. Although antibiotics effectively treat most cases, an estimated 10-20% of patients develop post-treatment Lyme disease (PTLD), a chronic syndrome marked by fatigue, pain, cognitive difficulties, mood disturbance, and r...
The goal of this laboratory study is to establish whether and which microdoses of psilocybin are safe to administer at home to healthy participants. Eligible participants will be given ascending doses of psilocybin trihydrate and a single, interspersed, randomized placebo on separate days in double-blind fashion. The participants will be asked to complete qu...
