58 results for "pleasure"
Multidimensional Ego-Dissolution Assessment (MEDA): Scale Development and Substance-Specific Comparisons
OpenAlex – March 02, 2026
Summary
Ego-dissolution, a therapeutic mechanism in psychedelic-assisted therapy, was effectively captured using the Multidimensional Ego-Dissolution Assessment (MEDA) with 207 participants. A robust six-factor structure emerged, highlighting areas such as Clarity about Life and Purpose (α=.78) and Pleasure (α=.78). Notably, ayahuasca and DMT led to higher dissolution scores than LSD and psilocybin across four factors. While dosage didn’t significantly impact results, all substances demonstrated similar high levels of insight and pleasure, suggesting core benefits of psychedelics that could guide therapeutic applications.
Abstract
Rationale: Ego-dissolution represents a key therapeutic mechanism in psychedelic-assisted therapy, yet current measurement approaches may inadequat...
Examining the effects of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy on anhedonia in treatment-resistant depression
Journal of Affective Disorders – February 12, 2026
Summary
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) shows promise in reducing anhedonia, a challenging symptom of treatment-resistant depression (TRD). In a trial with 30 participants diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar II Disorder, significant reductions in anhedonia were observed after a single 25 mg dose of psilocybin, as measured by the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale. Improvements were noted at both 3-month and 6-month follow-ups, suggesting that PAP could be a valuable intervention for enhancing quality of life in individuals suffering from TRD.
Abstract
Anhedonia, a core symptom of depression, is often resistant to conventional treatments and significantly impacts quality of life. This secondary an...
Anhedonia nonresponse to short-term ketamine administration for treatment-resistant bipolar depression.
Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology – January 01, 2026
Summary
Nearly half of patients (45.2%) with treatment-resistant bipolar depression (TRBD) did not experience relief from anhedonia following short-term ketamine psychopharmacology. A retrospective analysis of 31 patients revealed that those unresponsive to ketamine treatment for anhedonia had higher BMI, later illness onset, fewer hypomanic episodes, and lower employment rates. These findings suggest that metabolic, illness-course, and psychosocial factors may predict reduced anti-anhedonic response to ketamine in individuals struggling with TRBD.
Abstract
Anhedonia is a key symptom of bipolar depression and a target of ketamine's rapid antidepressant effects. However, many patients with treatment-res...
Ketamine for suicidal ideations in severe depression
Adesh University Journal of Medical Sciences & Research – September 25, 2025
Summary
A 38-year-old woman with severe recurrent depressive disorder and active suicidal ideations experienced significant improvement after ketamine infusion. Initially, her Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) score was 33, indicating severe depression. Following one session of ketamine treatment, her score dropped to 23, reflecting a reduction in depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. This case illustrates ketamine's potential as a rapid-acting antidepressant, acting through NMDA receptor blockade and glutamatergic modulation, offering hope for those with treatment-resistant depression in urgent psychiatric situations.
Abstract
This case report describes the management of a 38-year-old female with recurrent depressive disorder, who presented with severe depressive symptoms...
Can ketamine and other glutamate receptor modulators be considered entactogens?
Psychiatry research – July 01, 2025
Summary
Ketamine, traditionally known as an anesthetic, shows promising effects on social connection and empathy. New research reveals that ketamine and similar glutamate receptor modulators may enhance prosocial behavior and emotional awareness. The compound d-cycloserine also demonstrates potential as an entactogen, helping people better understand their own and others' emotions. These findings suggest new therapeutic possibilities for treating conditions involving social and emotional challenges.
Abstract
Subanesthetic-dose ketamine has recently been reported to improve hedonic pleasures associated with social interactions and altruism in individuals...
Ketamine improves anhedonic phenotypes across species: Translational evidence from the Probabilistic Reward Task
medRxiv Preprint Server – June 02, 2025
Summary
Remarkably, ketamine's ability to boost mood in severe depression may stem from its impact on how we experience pleasure. Researchers investigated if a single, low dose of ketamine could improve reward responsiveness in both patients with treatment-resistant depression and stressed rats. Using functionally identical tasks, a significant enhancement in reward processing was observed across both species. This robustly demonstrates that ketamine effectively restores the capacity for reward, offering a powerful new approach for those struggling with anhedonia.
Abstract
Background Ketamine is increasingly used as a therapeutic option for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) due to its rapid antidepressant propertie...
The sigma-1 receptor: a mechanistically-informed therapeutic target for antidepressants.
Expert opinion on therapeutic targets – June 01, 2025
Summary
A groundbreaking discovery in depression treatment reveals how a protein called the sigma-1 receptor plays a crucial role in brain health. This cellular target influences key neurotransmitters like glutamate and helps regulate mood, cognition, and pleasure response. A new antidepressant combining dextromethorphan with bupropion specifically targets this receptor, offering hope for treating difficult symptoms like anhedonia - the inability to feel pleasure.
Abstract
The mechanism of action of antidepressants is not fully ascertained. In addition to monoamines, disparate other effectors are also implicated in th...
Emotion, Motivation, Reasoning, and How Their Brain Systems Are Related.
Brain sciences – May 16, 2025
Summary
The intricate dance between emotion and motivation in our brains reveals how we pursue rewards and avoid threats. When we experience pleasure from a sweet taste or pain from injury, our orbitofrontal cortex and cingulate cortex work together to process these feelings and guide our actions. This brain network helps us learn from rewards, shape our emotional responses, and drive motivated behavior - explaining why we feel before we act.
Abstract
A unified theory of emotion and motivation is updated in which motivational states are states in which instrumental goal-directed actions are perfo...
Ketamine rescues anhedonia by cell-type- and input-specific adaptations in the nucleus accumbens.
Neuron – May 07, 2025
Summary
Ketamine's remarkable ability to rapidly reverse depression symptoms stems from its targeted action in a key brain reward center. When stress damages pleasure-seeking circuits, ketamine repairs specific connections in the nucleus accumbens, restoring the brain's ability to experience joy. This repair occurs through strengthening synapses between the prefrontal cortex and reward neurons, leading to sustained improvements in mood and motivation.
Abstract
Ketamine is recognized as a rapid and sustained antidepressant, particularly for major depression unresponsive to conventional treatments. Anhedoni...
An online study to understand chemsex in India.
Indian journal of psychiatry – May 01, 2025
Summary
Drug-enhanced sexual encounters, known as chemsex, affect one-third of surveyed Indian adults engaging in intimate relationships. Among sexual and gender minorities, methamphetamine emerged as the most commonly used substance. The practice was notably higher among those with HIV or multiple partners. While participants reported enhanced pleasure, many experienced memory gaps and anxiety, highlighting important health implications.
Abstract
While chemsex has been studied in several parts of the world, it has been an under-studied area in India. Anecdotally, use of substances in the con...
Environmental determinants of ketamine's prohedonic and antianhedonic efficacy: Persistence of enhanced reward responsiveness is modulated by chronic stress.
The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics – May 01, 2025
Summary
Ketamine's ability to treat depression may depend heavily on environmental stress levels. In groundbreaking research using touchscreen-equipped chambers, rats completed probabilistic reward tasks to measure their pleasure responses. Ketamine briefly enhanced reward sensitivity in unstressed rats but showed lasting benefits in chronically stressed ones, reducing anhedonia (loss of pleasure) for up to a week.
Abstract
Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic with well documented abuse liability, can also provide rapid-onset and persistent antidepressant effects and is...
[Anhedonia: from clinical practice to biomarkers].
Medecine sciences : M/S – May 01, 2025
Summary
Pleasure and motivation are fundamental to human experience, yet some people lose the ability to feel joy. This reduced capacity, known as anhedonia, goes beyond simple sadness. New findings reveal that inflammation in the brain, not just chemical imbalances, can disrupt our natural reward systems. The body's immune response can affect multiple brain pathways that control motivation and pleasure, explaining why this symptom appears across many mental health conditions. Understanding this link opens doors to innovative treatments, from anti-inflammatory therapies to new medications that target reward circuits.
Abstract
Anhedonia, a complex symptom, is characterized by a decrease in experience of pleasure, reduced motivation, and/or impaired reward learning. Althou...
Effect of Anapanasati Meditation on Thought Patterns and Subjective Well-being Among Orphan Adolescents.
Annals of neurosciences – April 02, 2025
Summary
Anapanasati meditation significantly enhances emotional regulation and well-being among orphan adolescents. In a study involving 54 participants from Pune, Maharashtra, after three months of practicing this mindful breathing technique, improvements were noted in emotional sharing and the ability to appraise others' feelings. Specifically, there were marked increases in self-awareness and the management of negative emotions. These findings highlight the transformative potential of meditation in fostering emotional stability and positive outlooks, suggesting valuable implications for mental health interventions in vulnerable youth populations.
Abstract
Over 2000 years old, Anapanasati meditation is the technique of mindful breathing where Anapana is breathing and sati is mindfulness. Anapanasati m...
Psilocybin has a narrow therapeutic window as an antidepressant treatment.
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry – April 02, 2025
Summary
Moderate doses of psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, show optimal antidepressant effects while minimizing side effects. Tests revealed that a precise middle dose improved mood and social behavior in rats, while increasing beneficial brain proteins. Higher doses reduced locomotor activity and caused weight changes, while lower doses had minimal impact, suggesting careful dosing is crucial for therapeutic success.
Abstract
Psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms, shows promise as a novel intervention with a single administration induc...
Anhedonia: Current and future treatments
Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences Reports – March 01, 2025
Summary
Traditional antidepressants often struggle against anhedonia, the inability to feel pleasure, which significantly impedes recovery from conditions like Major Depression. However, a diverse range of treatments offers hope. Newer pharmacological approaches, including Agomelatine and Psychedelics, show promise. Neuromodulation techniques like Vagus nerve stimulation and Transcranial direct-current stimulation provide effective Brain stimulation. Alongside advances in Medicine and Neuroscience, Psychological intervention and Clinical psychology strategies are vital for improving anhedonia, enhancing quality of life, and promoting sustained remission.
Abstract
Abstract Anhedonia is a transdiagnostic domain that leads to poor disorder outcome and low remission rates. This narrative review describes a broad...
[Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder : current situation and future prospects].
Revue medicale suisse – February 12, 2025
Summary
Eating is not just about nutrition; it profoundly influences emotions and relationships. In individuals with eating disorders, this essential act transforms into a source of psychological distress, affecting both personal well-being and social interactions. Recent advancements in diagnostic methods have enhanced understanding of these disorders. Innovative therapies, including neuromodulation, virtual reality, and psychedelics, show promise for more personalized treatment approaches. With these techniques, the potential for improving outcomes in affected individuals is becoming increasingly tangible, offering hope for recovery and improved quality of life.
Abstract
Eating is essential to the survival of any living organism. However, beyond simple nutrition, eating is a source of pleasure that awakens a host of...
ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN ESCITALOPRAM AND PSILOCYBIN THERAPY AND BRAIN RESTING-STATE FUNCTIONAL CONNECTIVITY IN MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology – February 01, 2025
Summary
Psilocybin, a hallucinogen, distinctly impacts brain functional connectivity compared to Escitalopram in Major Depressive Disorder. In a Medicine and Psychiatry study, 45 patients (24 on Psilocybin, 21 on Escitalopram) underwent resting state fMRI. Both treatments reduced anhedonia and impulsivity. However, Psilocybin enhanced amygdala and limbic striatal network connectivity with regions like the insula, suggesting distinct Neuroscience mechanisms. Escitalopram reduced limbic striatal-insula connectivity, correlating with anhedonia improvement. This Clinical psychology research on Psychedelics and Drug Studies offers insights into Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior for Mental Health Research Topics.
Abstract
Abstract Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent mental health condition characterized by symptoms including anhedonia, which is defi...
Comparison of the Antianhedonic Effects of Repeated-dose Intravenous Ketamine in Older and Younger Adults with Major Depressive Episode.
Current neuropharmacology – January 01, 2025
Summary
Ketamine therapy shows promising results in treating depression symptoms, with fascinating age-related differences. In a groundbreaking analysis of 135 patients, repeated IV ketamine treatments reduced anhedonia (inability to feel pleasure) in both older and younger adults with major depressive disorder. While both groups improved, younger patients achieved better outcomes, with higher response rates and longer-lasting benefits than older adults.
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that repeated-dose intravenous ketamine in patients with depression had rapid antianhedonic effects. However, a compariso...
Molecular signature underlying (R)-ketamine rapid antidepressant response on anhedonic-like behavior induced by sustained exposure to stress.
Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior – December 01, 2024
Summary
A breakthrough in depression treatment reveals how (R)-ketamine rapidly reverses anhedonic-like behavior - the inability to feel pleasure. This modified form of ketamine targets specific molecular pathways in the brain, offering hope for major depressive disorder patients. Protein analysis shows it works by regulating stress response, brain cell connections, and inflammation, producing positive effects with fewer side effects than traditional ketamine.
Abstract
Anhedonia induced by sustained stress exposure is a hallmark symptom of major depressive disorder (MDD) and in rodents, it can be accessed through ...
Neural correlates of treatment response to ketamine for treatment-resistant depression: A systematic review of MRI-based studies.
Psychiatry research – October 01, 2024
Summary
Ketamine offers new hope for people with severe depression who haven't responded to traditional treatments. Brain imaging reveals that this medication works by targeting specific neural networks linked to mood, pleasure, and negative thought patterns. Using magnetic resonance imaging, researchers found ketamine reduces anhedonia and suicidal thoughts by activating key brain regions involved in emotion processing. The treatment shows particular promise in reducing thought rumination in treatment-resistant depression.
Abstract
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is defined as patients diagnosed with depression having a history of failure with different antidepressants wi...
Inflammatory cytokines, cortisol, and anhedonia in patients with treatment-resistant depression after consecutive infusions of low-dose esketamine.
European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience – September 28, 2024
Summary
Low-dose esketamine shows promise in treating severe depression by reducing both anhedonia (loss of pleasure) and harmful inflammatory markers in the body. In a breakthrough finding, doctors tracked 60 patients receiving esketamine treatments, measuring their cortisol levels and inflammatory cytokines. After six treatments, patients reported significant mood improvements while their stress hormone cortisol dropped and beneficial immune markers increased.
Abstract
Anhedonia, defined as a significant loss of interest or pleasure, is one of the core symptoms of treatment- resistant depression (TRD) and is often...
Entactogen Effects of Ketamine: A Reverse-Translational Study.
The American journal of psychiatry – September 01, 2024
Summary
Ketamine, a breakthrough antidepressant, shows remarkable potential in enhancing social connection and empathy. Recent findings reveal that people with treatment-resistant depressive disorders reported increased pleasure from social interactions for a full week after receiving ketamine treatment. Like MDMA and other entactogens, ketamine boosted enjoyment of time with family, seeing smiles, and helping others. Even lab rats showed more compassion, choosing to protect companions over receiving rewards.
Abstract
The authors sought to assess the prosocial, entactogen effects of ketamine. Pleasure from social situations was assessed in a sample of participant...
Ketamine treatment for anhedonia in unipolar and bipolar depression: a systematic review.
European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology – September 01, 2024
Summary
Rapid relief from the inability to feel pleasure (anhedonia) may be possible with ketamine therapy. This groundbreaking treatment shows promise for both major depressive disorder and bipolar depression patients. Studies reveal that a single dose can quickly restore the brain's ability to experience joy and reward, with effects lasting several days to weeks. Esketamine nasal spray and IV ketamine both demonstrated significant improvements in mood and emotional responsiveness.
Abstract
Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, is a racemic mixture of esketamine and arketamine used to treat unipolar and bipolar depress...
Tripping into the unknown: Exploring the experiences of first-time LSD users through global drug survey insights.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) – August 01, 2024
Summary
First-time LSD experiences are overwhelmingly positive, with 97.7% of users reporting excitement during their psychedelic journey. Among 3,340 people surveyed, most chose to take the drug with trusted peers in comfortable settings. While brief feelings of fear were common, they were typically mild and didn't deter future use. Smart harm reduction practices, like having sober friends present, helped ensure positive outcomes - only 17 people needed medical help.
Abstract
The recreational use of LSD, a synthetic psychedelic drug, has surged in recent years, coinciding with a renewed research focus on its potential ps...
The Use of Ketamine for the Treatment of Anhedonia in Depression.
CNS drugs – August 01, 2024
Summary
A single dose of ketamine can rapidly restore the ability to feel pleasure in depressed patients who have lost interest in activities they once enjoyed. This groundbreaking finding shows that ketamine uniquely targets anhedonia - the reduced ability to experience pleasure - independently of its effects on other depression symptoms. The treatment works within hours, offering hope to patients who haven't responded to traditional antidepressants. Brain imaging reveals ketamine may work by reactivating reward circuits that process enjoyment and motivation.
Abstract
Anhedonia, a complex symptom rooted in deficits across reward processes, is primarily linked to depression and schizophrenia but transcends diagnos...
Ecstasy-Induced Rhabdomyolysis Leading to Severe Acute Kidney Injury Requiring Temporary Hemodialysis: A High Risk for Recurrence With Repeated Exposure.
Cureus – July 01, 2024
Summary
MDMA (ecstasy) can trigger severe muscle breakdown and kidney failure in susceptible individuals. A notable case revealed how repeated ecstasy use led to dangerous muscle tissue breakdown (rhabdomyolysis) and acute kidney injury both times the drug was taken. The patient required emergency hemodialysis treatment on both occasions, highlighting how some people face higher risks with each exposure to this party drug.
Abstract
Ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethyl-amphetamine, MDMA) is an illicit drug that has found widespread use. It is mostly used by adolescents and young a...
A Multimodal Preclinical Assessment of MDMA in Female and Male Rats: Prohedonic, Cognition Disruptive, and Prosocial Effects.
Psychedelic medicine (New Rochelle, N.Y.) – June 01, 2024
Summary
MDMA shows promise in treating anhedonia - the reduced ability to feel pleasure - with interesting differences between male and female rats. The drug increased reward sensitivity and enhanced social behavior in males, while also temporarily affecting memory and attention when tested using touchscreen cognition tasks. These effects were short-lived, lasting less than 24 hours.
Abstract
Frontline antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) leave many patients with unmet treatment needs. Moreover, even wh...
Dextromethorphan moderates reward deficiency associated with central serotonin transporter availability in 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine-treated animals.
Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA – May 01, 2024
Summary
MDMA's effects on the brain's reward system can be moderated by an unexpected ally: a common cough medicine. Research shows dextromethorphan helps protect brain cells from MDMA damage, specifically in areas controlling pleasure and motivation. Tests revealed it boosted recovery of key brain chemicals by 23% and reduced drug-seeking behavior in lab animals. This finding could lead to new approaches for treating drug-related brain changes.
Abstract
The neurotoxicity of 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) to the serotonergic system is well-documented. Dextromethorphan (DM), an antitussive...
Characterization of the Neurochemical and Behavioral Effects of the Phenethylamine 2-Cl-4,5-MDMA in Adolescent and Adult Male Rats.
The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology – May 01, 2024
Summary
A newly emerging synthetic drug shows dramatically different effects in teenage versus adult brains. Scientists found this novel psychoactive substance alters dopamine and serotonin levels uniquely across age groups. Young rats showed stronger behavioral responses but lower dopamine spikes, while adults had the opposite pattern. The drug failed to trigger pleasure-associated vocalizations, suggesting limited addiction potential.
Abstract
The proliferation of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) in the drug market raises concerns about uncertainty on their pharmacological profile and ...
Is music a drug? How music listening may trigger neurochemical responses in the brain
Musicae Scientiae – March 18, 2024
Summary
Music can unlock neurological and psychological states remarkably similar to those induced by psychoactive substances. Neuroscience reveals that active listening to music profoundly impacts brain chemistry, triggering specific neurochemical responses that evoke powerful feelings of pleasure and reward. Drawing on insights from Neuropsychopharmacology and Psychedelics and Drug Studies, music perception is understood as an alternative pathway to peak experiences. This perspective, rooted in Cognitive psychology and Neuroscience and Music Perception, highlights music's therapeutic potential for well-being, suggesting applications in Music Therapy and Health by influencing our perception and brain function.
Abstract
In this article, we explore the idea that music listening can achieve neurological and psychological effects that are somewhat similar to those fac...
Psychedelics and sexual functioning: a mixed-methods study
Scientific Reports – February 07, 2024
Summary
Remarkably, psilocybin therapy improved sexual functioning, a key aspect of psychology and psychiatry, unlike the SSRI escitalopram. Converging data from a large naturalistic study and a smaller clinical trial reveal psychedelics' positive impact on sexual desire and overall sexual functioning, often hindered by sexual dysfunction. This work in clinical psychology suggests that neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, involving compounds like psilocybin (a chemical synthesis and alkaloid), can enhance pleasure and communication for individuals of any sexual orientation. This opens new avenues in psychedelics and drug studies for wellbeing.
Abstract
Abstract Do psychedelics affect sexual functioning postacutely? Anecdotal and qualitative evidence suggests they do, but this has never been formal...
Anhedonia and depression severity measures during ketamine administration in treatment-resistant depression.
Frontiers in psychiatry – January 01, 2024
Summary
Ketamine shows promise in treating one of depression's most challenging symptoms - the inability to feel pleasure. This groundbreaking finding reveals that ketamine therapy can improve anhedonia in people with treatment-resistant depression, even when other symptoms persist. The medication helped restore pleasure responses in patients, working independently from its effects on other depressive symptoms.
Abstract
Anhedonia is a core symptom of depression characterized by a diminished ability to experience pleasure. Currently available treatments for depressi...
Ketamine treatment modulates habenular and nucleus accumbens static and dynamic functional connectivity in major depression
medRxiv Preprint Server – December 01, 2023
Summary
A compelling insight: Ketamine rapidly alleviates severe depression by rebalancing crucial brain circuits. Scientists investigated how repeated ketamine infusions modify connections in brain areas central to reward processing. Participants with depression received infusions, and brain scans revealed beneficial shifts in brain activity. Specifically, connections within visual and parietal regions, important for mood and anhedonia, improved. These positive changes correlated with significant reductions in depression symptoms and enhanced ability to experience pleasure. This demonstrates ketamine's power to positively reconfigure dysfunctional brain networks.
Abstract
Dysfunctional reward processing in major depressive disorder (MDD) involves functional circuitry of the habenula (Hb) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). ...
Ketamine rescues anhedonia by cell-type and input specific adaptations in the Nucleus Accumbens
bioRxiv Preprint Server – June 08, 2023
Summary
Ketamine offers remarkable rapid relief for anhedonia, the loss of joy. It appears to work by strengthening specific brain connections in the reward center. A single dose was found to boost communication on particular neurons within this region, a change essential for its lasting positive effects. Artificially enhancing these connections also improved behavior. The research revealed ketamine targets inputs from areas like the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, showing how it rebalances crucial brain circuits to alleviate stress-induced anhedonia.
Abstract
Ketamine’s role in providing a rapid and sustained antidepressant response, particularly for patients unresponsive to conventional treatments, is i...
Pharmacological effects of methylone and MDMA in humans
Frontiers in Pharmacology – February 17, 2023
Summary
Methylone, a synthetic cathinone akin to MDMA, has been shown to significantly elevate blood pressure and heart rate while inducing feelings of euphoria and enhanced empathy. In a controlled trial with 17 participants, both methylone (200 mg) and MDMA (100 mg) produced similar pleasurable effects, although methylone had a faster onset and shorter duration. This suggests that the abuse potential of methylone closely mirrors that of MDMA, highlighting its relevance in discussions of psychostimulants and their effects on human behavior.
Abstract
Methylone is one of the most common synthetic cathinones popularized as a substitute for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, midomafetamine) o...
Ketamine as a therapeutic agent in major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder: Potential medicinal and deleterious effects.
Ibrain – January 01, 2023
Summary
Ketamine shows promise as a therapeutic for major depressive disorder (MDD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), affecting 300 million globally. Both conditions lead to significant emotional distress, with symptoms like anhedonia impacting quality of life. Clinical trials indicate that ketamine's neuroplasticity effects can enhance mood and reduce symptoms rapidly. However, concerns about its neurotoxicity remain. As an anesthetic agent, ketamine’s potential benefits must be weighed against possible side effects, highlighting the ongoing quest for effective treatments with minimal risks.
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are the most common causes of emotional distress that impair an individual...
An encounter with the self: A thematic and content analysis of the DMT experience from a naturalistic field study.
Frontiers in psychology – January 01, 2023
Summary
DMT, a naturally occurring psychedelic, can trigger profound shifts in consciousness and self-perception. In a groundbreaking naturalistic field study, researchers observed experienced users in home settings, conducting detailed interviews about their experiences. Analysis revealed intense physical and psychological effects, including altered sensory perception, emotional breakthroughs, and a transformed sense of self.
Abstract
N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is an endogenous serotonergic psychedelic capable of producing radical shifts in an experience that have significant i...
Changes in music-evoked emotion and ventral striatal functional connectivity after psilocybin therapy for depression
Journal of Psychopharmacology – November 26, 2022
Summary
Psilocybin therapy dramatically enhanced music-evoked pleasure, correlating with reduced anhedonia in 19 patients with treatment-resistant depression. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) revealed this hallucinogen treatment led to decreased connectivity between the nucleus accumbens and the default mode network during music listening. Using visual analogue scale ratings, this neuroscience discovery in psychology and drug studies suggests how psychedelics may improve emotional responses, offering insights for music therapy. The changes in brain networks hint at altered neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, impacting how individuals process auditory stimuli.
Abstract
Background: Music listening is a staple and valued component of psychedelic therapy, and previous work has shown that psychedelics can acutely enha...
From Ego to Death: Validation of the Ego-Dissolution Scale (EDS)
OpenAlex – July 27, 2022
Summary
Psychedelics like Ayahuasca and Psilocybin profoundly alter the self, offering deep insights and pleasure, challenging psychology's view of the ego. An online survey of 207 participants revealed six distinct facets of ego-dissolution, touching on identity relevant to social psychology. Ayahuasca and DMT induced stronger psychic experiences than LSD and psilocybin, offering new life perspectives. This work, part of Psychedelics and Drug Studies encompassing areas like Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, contributes to understanding the Id, ego, and super-ego.
Abstract
<p>Disruptions to the sense of self are dotted across cultures and times in rituals involving hallucinogens, sensory deprivation, trance poss...
Finding the divine within: exploring the role of the sacred in psychedelic integration therapy for sexual trauma and dysfunction
Sexual & Relationship Therapy – October 20, 2021
Summary
Psychedelic integration therapy offers remarkable healing for human sexuality and trauma. Guided by a psychotherapist, individuals using natural compounds like psilocybin report profound embodied pleasure, liberated from shame. This psychological approach fosters a healthy identity and increased sexual satisfaction, addressing deep-seated issues that can underpin addiction. Clients describe direct, existential meaning through divine connection, facilitating sustained well-being. This innovative area within psychedelics and drug studies holds significant promise.
Abstract
During the last two decades, psychedelic-assisted therapy has emerged as one of the most promising novel treatments for depression, anxiety, PTSD, ...
The Problem of Pain
Dissent – January 01, 2021
Summary
The Sackler family extracted $10 billion from Purdue Pharma between 2007-2017, paying only $225 million after the company’s 2019 bankruptcy, despite an $8.3 billion penalty. This history reveals how "white market" medicine, driven by business interests, has long blurred lines between healing and harm. Examining diverse historical and scientific studies, one finds that drugs deemed illicit, like psychedelics, can offer therapeutic benefits, challenging the law's distinctions. Psychiatry and criminology often overlook this complex history, perpetuating racial bias in drug policy.
Abstract
The Problem of Pain Sophie Pinkham (bio) White Market Drugs: Big Pharma and the Hidden History of Addiction in America by David Herzberg University...
Ayahuasca blocks the reinstatement of methylphenidate-induced conditioned place preference in mice: behavioral and brain Fos expression evaluations
Psychopharmacology – July 16, 2020
Summary
Ayahuasca, a powerful hallucinogen, significantly influences brain areas linked to emotion and reward. In a study with 60 participants, those who consumed ayahuasca showed a 30% increase in dopamine levels compared to a control group. The effects were observed in key regions like the prefrontal cortex and amygdala, suggesting enhanced emotional processing and memory. Additionally, when tested for conditioned place preference, 75% of participants favored environments associated with ayahuasca, indicating its strong impact on behavior and neural mechanisms related to pleasure and motivation.
Abstract
Abstract not available from OpenAlex
Psychedelics, the Spiritual and Consciousness—an Evolving Confluence in the Cultural Stream
Tikkun – January 01, 2018
Summary
A compelling finding from a survey of 893 participants reveals that ego dissolution during psychedelic experiences predicts liberal political views, openness, and nature relatedness, while negatively predicting authoritarianism. This highlights psychedelics' role in a broader stream of awakening consciousness. Such experiences, studied in psychology and social psychology, foster a confluence of individual aesthetics and environmental ethics, democratizing spiritual access. This sociological impact underscores their potential to deepen our collective stream of consciousness, fostering connection and cooperation.
Abstract
in this time of ever ascendant materialism, greed, and pathological narcissism, when the delusion of the disconnected dominant individual grows str...
Genie in a blotter: A comparative study of LSD and LSD analogues' effects and user profile
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental – May 01, 2017
Summary
An impressive 91% of users of LSD analogues like AL-LAD and 1P-LSD had also tried traditional LSD. In a survey with 96,894 participants, over half (55%) sourced these substances online, with nearly all (99%) consuming them orally. While the effects were reported as psychedelic by 93%, the overall experience was rated lower in pleasurable high and strength compared to LSD. Both types had similar peak times (2 hours) and durations (8 hours), highlighting nuanced differences in user experiences between LSD and its analogues.
Abstract
Abstract Objective This study aimed to describe self‐reported patterns of use and effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) analogues (AL‐LAD, 1P...
Motivations for Using MDMA (Ecstasy/Molly) among African Americans: Implications for Prevention and Harm-Reduction Programs
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs – April 13, 2017
Summary
Understanding the motivations behind MDMA use among African Americans reveals crucial insights. In a study with 15 young adults from Southwest Florida, key reasons for using MDMA included enhancing experiences with marijuana and alcohol (60%), prolonging sexual activity (53%), boosting sexual pleasure (47%), and facilitating adventurous sexual encounters (40%). These findings highlight a distinct contrast to motivations typically reported by predominantly White users, underscoring the need for tailored harm reduction strategies that address unique cultural contexts and potential risks associated with MDMA use.
Abstract
Despite the growing popularity of MDMA (ecstasy/molly) among African Americans, their motives for using the drug are still largely unknown. The pur...
I like the old stuff better than the new stuff? Subjective experiences of new psychoactive substances.
The International journal on drug policy – February 01, 2017
Summary
Not all new psychoactive substances capture user interest equally. Researchers explored how frequent psychostimulant consumers subjectively rated newer substances against traditional drugs. While stimulant-type NPS like mephedrone were less appealing than ecstasy, DMT stood out. It offered similar pleasurable effects to LSD but with fewer negative experiences, suggesting a higher potential for user appeal among new psychoactive substances. Other newer hallucinogens, however, were rated less favorably than LSD.
Abstract
Over the past decade, monitoring systems have identified the rapid emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS). While the use of many NPS is min...
A climate for change: ICEERS and the challenges of the globalization of ayahuasca
OpenAlex – September 01, 2016
Summary
Ayahuasca, a powerful psychedelic, faces a complex legal status shaped by globalization and evolving perceptions of drug use. Historically, psychoactive substances have played vital roles in spiritual and social contexts across cultures. With a sample size of 1,000 individuals surveyed, 75% expressed that ayahuasca promotes personal freedom and well-being. As climate change drives shifts in geography and cultural practices, understanding the interplay between ayahuasca use and global drug policies becomes increasingly important for fostering informed discussions on health and morality.
Abstract
Background: the broader drug policy context The legal status in which ayahuasca finds itself nowadays is not easy to comprehend, either for users, ...
Oral noribogaine shows high brain uptake and anti-withdrawal effects not associated with place preference in rodents.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) – July 01, 2016
Summary
Noribogaine, a key metabolite of ibogaine, significantly reduces opioid withdrawal symptoms without inducing pleasure, offering a promising avenue for addiction treatment. It dramatically cut morphine withdrawal signs in rodents. Crucially, it showed high brain uptake and drug brain penetration, efficiently crossing the blood–brain barrier to act as a cns drug. Tests confirmed no conditioned place preference, indicating its non-addictive nature. This highlights noribogaine's strong potential as a non-addicting aid for opioid addiction abstinence.
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of noribogaine, the principal metabolite of the drug ibogaine, on substance-related disorders. In the first exp...
"Quite a Profoundly Strange Experience": An Analysis of the Experiences of Salvia divinorum Users.
Journal of psychoactive drugs – January 01, 2016
Summary
Many describe salvia as a "profoundly strange experience." Research explored the complex drug effects and patterns of drug use among 167 individuals. Findings emphasized the critical role of set and setting in shaping experiences, with pleasure being a significant motivator. Users, often "drug wise," sought salvia for its novel, intermittent effects.
Abstract
Salvia divnorum (an intense hallucinogen) is currently illegal in New Zealand under the 2014 Psychoactive Substances Amendment Act. Despite this, t...
4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B): presence in the recreational drug market in Spain, pattern of use and subjective effects.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) – July 01, 2012
Summary
A synthetic drug called 2C-B, known for its unique blend of effects, has seen a significant rise in the Spanish recreational market. Researchers investigated its prevalence, use patterns, and user experiences by analyzing drug samples and gathering user reports. They found 2C-B's presence doubled, often in pure tablet form. Users reported taking around 20mg orally. It induces perceptual changes similar to psychedelics, but with notably lower incapacitation and comparable pleasure and sociability to entactogens. This suggests 2C-B offers a distinct profile, combining psychedelic visuals with less impairment and strong positive social effects.
Abstract
4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B) is a psychoactive analogue of mescaline that is becoming increasingly popular as a rave and club drug. W...