Naturalistic psychedelic use can result in a range of difficulties that impair social, occupational, and other important areas of functioning. Yet, the prevalence, phenomenology, and etiology of these outcomes remain poorly understood. Recent qualitative research has shown that individuals with long-term difficulties after psychedelic use sometimes attribute...
INTRODUCTION: Although commonly used in psychedelic-assisted therapy, the role of therapeutic touch remains loosely defined and ethically sensitive. Gaining insight into how participants experience and interpret touch during psychedelic sessions is essential for informing safe and effective clinical practice. METHODS: Participants were sampled from a large r...
Bufotenin (also spelt as bufotenine) and its methylated derivative, 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), are potent psychedelics that are found in many plants but also excreted by some species of toads. The compounds are regulated differently around the world, and although used in traditional medicine, 20-century prohibition culture has slowed resea...
This manuscript comprehensively reviews psilocybin-assisted therapy for major depressive disorder and treatment-resistant depression. It aims to synthesize current understanding regarding its mechanisms, efficacy, safety, costs, and accessibility, comparing it with conventional antidepressant and ketamine treatments. The methodology involved a narrative synt...
About 30-50% of patients with advanced illness experience depression, anxiety, or decreased sense of purpose and autonomy. Together, these are called psychological distress. Treatment options such as medication and therapy are available; however, they do not always work and can be time-consuming and expensive. We need treatments that work well, quickly, and ...
BACKGROUND: Recent advancements in psychedelic research have highlighted psilocybin's potential therapeutic benefits for various mental disorders. Understanding its effects on brain function and identifying predictors of individual responses are essential for developing effective treatments. METHODS: This double-blind, randomized, crossover, and placebo-cont...
BACKGROUND: Changes in well-being, personality, and personal values have been documented post-psilocybin; however, evidence from placebo-controlled trials is limited. AIMS: To examine the effects of psilocybin versus placebo on psychiatric symptoms, personality, and personal values in healthy participants. Potential mediators were also explored. METHODS: = 2...
The escalating global burden of mental health disorders, coupled with the stagnation of innovation in traditional monoaminergic pharmacotherapy (e.g., SSRIs), has precipitated a critical need for novel therapeutic paradigms. This article presents a comprehensive systematic review of the so-called "Psychedelic Renaissance," focusing on the clinical resurgence...
The psychedelic psilocybin may have lasting therapeutic effects for patients with chronic pain syndromes. Some preclinical data suggest these putative benefits derive from direct analgesic effects; however, this possibility has not been comprehensively tested in preclinical models. Here, we evaluated the analgesic properties of a single exposure to psilocybi...
Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound with potential antidepressant effects. Although it has long been used by humans, primarily for recreational purposes, the molecular mechanisms underlying its actions remain incompletely understood. Here, we examined the acute effects of psilocin, the active metabolite of psilocybin, on excitatory neuro...
Psilocybin has been reported to decrease depression symptoms among individuals with bipolar disorder (BD), but has also been associated with reports of mania, psychosis and increased depression. With increasing recreational use of psilocybin, and the potential for psilocybin to be used as a treatment for depression, a better understanding of the risks and be...
Background: Psilocybin is a promising therapy for cancer-related distress, but existing individual treatment models are resource intensive. In this study, we designed and tested a group model of psilocybin therapy for people with metastatic cancer and cancer-related anxiety and depression. Method: Eligibility criteria included metastatic cancer, moderate-to-...
The serotonergic psychedelic, psilocybin, shows potential for rapid and sustained antidepressant effects but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Using a chronic interferon-alpha-induced rat model of depression, we show acute psilocybin (0.3 mg/kg) reverses impaired reward-induced biases within 24hrs, with effects enduring for at least 7 days. This sugg...
A key distinction among clinical trials on psilocybin treatments, for example, those targeting depression, has been whether the psilocybin dosing session is combined with bona fide psychotherapy or with what is referred to as “psychological support” (1-3). The most developed model of psychological support is the Compass Psychological Support Model (CPSM; 1)....
Objective: Emerging evidence suggests that mystical experiences mediate the therapeutic effects of psychedelic-assisted therapy. The current study examines associations between mystical experiences and components of “set” (positive mindset, participant intentions, and spirituality) and “setting” (perceived positivity of the dosing environment) in the context...
People with cancer often experience anxiety and depression following a diagnosis and can face barriers to accessing treatment for their mental health. An increasing number of patients are considering alternative approaches to managing their mental health symptoms, such as the psychedelic, psilocybin. A growing number of clinical trials show significant and e...
Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) remain an ongoing challenge for public health, forensic laboratories, and regulatory agencies, especially when they are chemically related to controlled tryptamines but are marketed as legal alternatives. In the United States, the Federal Analogue Act (FAA) was intended to restrict such substances; however, regulatory loop...
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...
