Psychedelics are a diverse class of psychoactive compounds that profoundly alter perception, cognition, and emotional states. Recently, classical serotonergic agents, such as psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), along with atypical agents such as methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) and ibogaine, have attracted renewed attention due to t...
The resurgence in research with classic psychedelics (e.g. LSD, psilocybin) underscores their potential for improved well-being; however, the interpersonal context and mechanisms of psychedelic impacts remain unknown. In a sample of 798 participants (81 couples), this survey study tested whether use of a psychedelic with a romantic partner (v. not together) ...
BACKGROUND: The claustrum, a subcortical structure densely expressing 5-hydroxytryptamine 2 A (5-HT2A) receptors, has been implicated in sensory integration, emotional regulation, salience, and attention. Despite its hypothesized involvement in the effects of serotonergic psychedelics, the neurochemical impact of these substances on claustral neurotransmissi...
Production of the psychoactive compound psilocybin is a defining feature of the genus Psilocybe, commonly referred to as “psychedelic mushrooms”. However, Psilocybe fuscofulva is a striking exception within Psilocybe sensu stricto as it lacks the stereotypical blue bruising characteristic of the genus, and psilocybin has not been detected in the species.To i...
Current neuroscience research calls into question the binary model of anesthesia as a state of consciousness shifted by unconsciousness, replacing it with an idea of consciousness as a continuum created by interactions between large-scale cortex and subcortical regions.Meanwhile, psychedelic drugs are making a comeback as potential treatments for treatment-r...
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) is emerging as a novel intervention for major psychiatric disorders, most notably major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While psychotherapy is widely regarded as a core element of PAP its precise role remains poorly defined. This narrative review traces the development of PAP withi...
Tobacco use remains a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality worldwide, and current smoking cessation treatments are limited by low long-term efficacy. An interplay between positive and negative reinforcement drives high relapse rates. Psychedelic compounds, particularly psilocybin, have shown promising clinical outcomes for smoking cessation, ...
INTRODUCTION: Sertonergic psychedelics LSD, psilocin and DMT, have been shown to hold a great potential for treatment of various neuropsychiatric conditions, such as major depressive disorder, addiction, and end-of-life anxiety. Effects of these substances on neuronal activity and plasticity have been demonstrated, however, better understanding of their mech...
Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms are typically not consumed for their nutritional value. The main reason people ingest these mushrooms is for their psychoactive effects. Recently, there has been growing interest in the potential therapeutic applications of psilocybin-containing mushrooms in a range of psychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety disorde...
BACKGROUND: Psilocybin has shown rapid and sustained antidepressant effects in patients with major depressive disorder, yet the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these outcomes remain unclear. AIMS: receptor occupancy (RO) achieved after administration of psilocybin and its effects on behavior and markers of neuroplasticity in mice. METHODS: H]MDL-100,90...
Psilocybin-containing mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms, strongly affect mood, cognition, and behavior. Psilocybe azurescens is a species of psilocybin mushrooms that contains the main active compounds psilocybin and psilocin. Psilocybin mushrooms have been used since ancient times to improve the quality of life. However, their adverse effects hav...
Abstract Recent clinical breakthroughs hold great promise for the application of psilocybin in the treatments of psychological disorders, such as depression, addiction, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Psilocybin is a psychedelic whose metabolite, psilocin, is a 5-HT2A receptor agonist. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms for the effects of psilocybin ...
Major depressive disorder (MDD) continues to pose a major therapeutic challenge due to its clinical heterogeneity. This chapter looks at the development of antidepressant treatments, starting with early interventions such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). Although these treatments t...
Major depressive disorder (MDD), including treatment-resistant depression (TRD), is a highly prevalent psychiatric disorder. MDD is associated with severe suffering, burden and large economical costs. Although various conventional antidepressant treatments are available, a large portion of depressed people does not or not adequately respond to the first-line...
Depression is a complex and globally prevalent mental disorder, for which conventional antidepressant medications face limitations such as delayed onset and insufficient efficacy. Classic psychedelics, most notably psilocybin, have recently emerged as promising candidates for treatment of depression and demonstrated rapid, robust, and sustained antidepressan...
Approximately 15% of pregnant women experience postpartum depression (PPD). Even with currently available antidepressant treatments, many women will continue to be impaired by symptoms. Psychedelic therapy offers a promising transdiagnostic therapeutic strategy for several mental health disorders, and early results from current trials suggest that serotonerg...
Background: Existing tools assess psychedelic experiences, but none specifically measure altered processing of traumatic memories-a key mechanism in trauma-focused therapies and psychotherapy in general. The helioscope effect describes how psychedelics like psilocybin and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) enable revisiting challenging or traumatic exp...
The purpose of this research study is to investigate whether a single administration of psilocybin can improve interoceptive awareness (awareness of bodily sensations) in individuals with chronic low back pain undergoing physical therapy, and whether these improvements are linked to pain relief and better physical therapy outcomes. Preclinical and human stud...
Background: Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has shown promising results for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD) and other mental health conditions. Although the precise mechanisms of psychedelic therapies remain unclear, many studies report increased feelings of connectedness following psychedelic experiences. Specifically, both nature relatedness (one’s ...
Classic psychedelics and related substances, such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), have again become a focus of interest in psychiatry as potential therapeutic tools. The aim of this paper is to review current data on their mechanisms of action, clinical applications in the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, addictions and post-traumatic st...
