Background: Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms contain the tryptamines psilocybin and psilocin, which are recognized for their therapeutic potential in mental health [1]. Additionally, due to their psychedelic effects, these mushrooms are also used for religious and recreational purposes. The increasing use of these tryptamines and other psychoactive substances ha...
Psilocybin is a federally illegal psychedelic substance that carries positive (e.g., treatment for mood disorders) and negative (e.g., emotional distress) consequences. In 2020, Oregon legalized psilocybin for adult use (21+) at the state level, restricted to designated service centers. In Fall 2024 and Spring 2026 we summarized and compared Oregon’s legal/r...
This article proposes a research agenda for psilocybin-assisted therapy focusing on the correlation between neural entropy and long-term cognitive flexibility.
Psychedelics show therapeutic potential for treating psychiatric disorders. While studies have emphasized the roles of cortical pyramidal cells, GABAergic neurons also express serotonin receptors and are therefore likely targets of psychedelics. In this study, we determine the effect of psilocybin on the activity dynamics of major GABAergic cell types in the...
Background: Little research investigates the role of rarely used drugs in criminal offending. Moreover, given research suggesting that psychedelics reduce criminal offending, more research is needed to further document connections between psychedelics and crime. Aim: This study examines the role of rarely used drugs in criminal behavior and extends previous ...
Abstract Background and aims Psilocybin, a psychoactive compound found in fungi commonly referred to as “magic mushrooms,” is consumed for both spiritual and recreational purposes. However, psilocybin use in Puerto Rico remains understudied. This exploratory cross-sectional survey aimed to describe patterns of use, motivations for consumption, explanatory fa...
Introduction: Psilocybin therapy has demonstrated efficacy for cancer-related anxiety and depression, but resource-intensive individual treatment models raise important questions for psychedelic public health about equitable access and scalability. In our prior Phase 1/2 study of group retreat psilocybin therapy for patients with metastatic cancer, we observ...
Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) affects approximately 10% of bereaved individuals and is now formally recognized in both the DSM-5-TR and ICD-11. Despite its prevalence, PGD often responds poorly to traditional therapeutic approaches. This manuscript outlines the protocol for an early-stage open-label feasibility trial investigating the use of psilocybin, a p...
This article presents the results of a Cognitive Linguistic analysis of metaphors used in a series of interviews by a single healthy volunteer following four moderate-to-high dosing sessions with psilocybin. The interviews were conducted by members of a human psychedelic research lab in a deep-sampling fMRI and EEG brain imaging study, allowing the participa...
The psychedelic psilocybin has shown therapeutic potential, yet underlying neural mechanisms remain poorly understood. We investigated the impact of psilocin-the active metabolite of psilocybin-on basal activity and reactivity within the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) and PVT projections to central amygdala (CeA) in rats. Psilocin administrati...
Psychedelics, such as psilocybin, reorganise large-scale brain connectivity, yet how these changes are reflected across electrophysiological (electroencephalogram, EEG) and haemodynamic (functional magnetic resonance imaging, fMRI) networks remains unclear. We present Brain-MGF, a multimodal graph fusion network for joint EEG-fMRI connectivity analysis. For ...
BACKGROUND: Major depression is a prevalent condition among patients with life-threatening illnesses, such as cancer, and recent findings suggest that psilocybin may hold promising treatment potential. Contemporary trials of psilocybin generally employ a model that includes psychotherapeutic support consisting of preparation and integration sessions surround...
Psilocybin extends lifespan in aged mice, and this has prompted extensive media speculation about possible human longevity benefits. We examined mortality among prominent psychedelic personalities, researchers, and advocates who claimed psychedelic use (n = 11) and compared them with cancer (n = 12) and aging researchers (n = 5). All groups exceeded populati...
Psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic, has gained attention as a potential treatment for various psychiatric conditions. In this review, the authors summarize current clinical evidence related to psilocybin’s efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of action across psychiatric disorders. Findings from early-phase and small-scale clinical trials suggest rapid but v...
Recreational psychedelic use is increasing, yet data on adverse events remains limited. This study characterized emergency department (ED) visits associated with recreational psychedelic use at UC San Diego Medical Center. We conducted a retrospective chart review of ED encounters (2010-2023). Cases were identified using ICD-10 hallucinogen-related codes and...
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and chronic pain are independently debilitating conditions that frequently co-occur. This comorbidity poses a significant clinical challenge, resulting in greater symptom severity, higher disability, and worse prognosis than either condition alone. Current therapies often address each disorder in isolation, leaving individuals...
