Psychedelics have re-emerged as promising treatments for mood disorders. The current model provides a moderate-to-high dose of a psychedelic agent (e.g., psilocybin) to reliably induce an altered state of consciousness. Unfortunately, the hallucinatory effects limit the treatment's potential scalability given patients' vulnerability and extensive monitoring ...
Abstract Background and aims Improved outcomes for substance use disorders have been described following non-clinical (“naturalistic”) psychedelic use. This exploratory study aimed to describe the naturalistic psychedelic experiences of people with substance use concerns and their reported needs and perceived utility of psychosocial support following natural...
This chapter reviews the effects of classic psychedelics on human oscillatory brain activity, as measured by resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG). Across moderate to high doses of LSD, psilocybin, ayahuasca, and DMT, a consistent reduction in alpha power (8-13 Hz) emerges, particularly in occipital regions. Below 30 Hz,...
Psilocybin is an active alkaloid found in magic mushrooms (Psilocybe cubensis). It is classified as a Class I Psychoactive Substance due to its psychoactive properties. Recent research has suggested that psilocybin holds potential for treating major depressive disorder. The objective of this study was to develop a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK)...
Psychiatric disorders are marked by habitual patterns of thought, emotion, and behavior, and many mental health disorders are resistant to standard treatments (1)(2)(3)(4). For example, symptoms of major depressive disorder include ruminative negative thoughts, pervasive sadness, and lack of goaldirected behavior (5)(6)(7). Similarly, many anxiety and trauma...
Psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) has gained recognition as an innovative intervention in hospice and palliative care, demonstrating potential in mitigating the psychological, spiritual, and existential distress experienced by patients with serious illnesses. This article explores the role of PAT within these care settings, emphasizing its influence on vario...
Neuroplasticity, the ability of the nervous system to adapt throughout an organism's lifespan, offers potential as both a biomarker and treatment target for neuropsychiatric conditions. Psychedelics, a burgeoning category of drugs, are increasingly prominent in psychiatric research, prompting inquiries into their mechanisms of action. Distinguishing themselv...
Background and aims: Certain species of fungi can induce hallucinations due to compounds like psilocybin, and many studies have explored their potential as treatments for various conditions. This work aims to describe and illustrate two species of hallucinogenic fungi from northeastern Argentina (NEA): Panaeolus cyanescens and Psilocybe cubensis. M&M: The sp...
INTRODUCTION: Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) represents a substantial public health issue, especially in oncology settings where it affects up to 30% of bereaved carers. Current best-practice treatments are lengthy, and up to 50% of participants have persistent PGD. Building on encouraging recent research with psychedelic-assisted therapies, the Psilocybin-A...
Psychedelic-assisted therapy is gaining recognition for its potential to enhance human functioning. While most research has focused on psychedelic' therapeutic use for mental illness, this review applies the PERMA Theory of Well-Being to systematically examine their role in enhancing well-being in healthy individuals. The final search of five academic databa...
Background and Hypothesis Visual hallucinations (VH) are a core symptom of both Lewy body diseases (LBDs; e.g., Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies) and serotonergic psychedelics (SPs; e.g., psilocybin and mescaline). While these classes of VH differ in etiology, shared pathways are suggested by overlapping phenomenology and neural mechanisms. ...
Background and HypothesisVisual hallucinations (VH) are a core symptom of both Lewy body diseases (LBDs; e.g., Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies) and serotonergic psychedelics (SPs; e.g., psilocybin and mescaline). While these classes of VH differ in etiology, shared pathways are suggested by overlapping phenomenology and neural mechanisms. T...
Background: Psilocybin has shown promise in therapeutic applications for mental disorders. Understanding the pharmacokinetics of psilocybin and its active metabolite psilocin is crucial for optimizing its clinical use and minimizing adverse effects. Methods: This systematic review involved a comprehensive search across MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, and Embase datab...
This scoping review addresses the need to comprehensively explore the potential of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) to facilitate recovery from moral injury. Moral injury (MI), characterized by profound psychological distress arising from morally challenging experiences, has garnered increased attention as a complex mental health concern with signifi...
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...
Psychoactive substances used for recreational purposes have mind-altering effects, but systematic evaluation of these effects is largely limited to self-reports. Automated analysis of expressed language (speech and written text) using natural language processing (NLP) tools can provide objective readouts of mental states. In this pre-registered systematic re...
Background and HypothesisVisual hallucinations (VH) are a core symptom of both Lewy body diseases (LBDs; e.g., Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies) and serotonergic psychedelics (SPs; e.g., psilocybin and mescaline). While these classes of VH differ in etiology, shared pathways are suggested by overlapping phenomenology and neural mechanisms. T...
Several authors have advanced the idea that psychedelics such as psilocybin might be effective means for achieving moral bioenhancement (MBE). Here, I discuss some reservations on this assertion from both neuropharmacological and bioethical perspectives, and surmised that there is little, if any, good justification for such a claim. The indication of psyched...
Abstract Background and Aims Networks of so-called underground, or illegal, psilocybin mushroom practitioners are popularly known to exist, though few systematic investigations of their practices have been conducted. We sought to uncover the experiences of a hidden community of psilocybin practitioners in order to inform scientific and policy dialogues about...
