medRxiv Preprint Server
May 31, 2026
Yves Martins Varela, Patrícia Cavalcanti-Ribeiro, Geovan Menezes de Sousa et al.
preprint
Ketamine rapidly reduces depression symptoms in treatment-resistant depression, but its effects may be enhanced by combining it with psychotherapy. The drug induces neuroplasticity and psychological openness, which could help patients process emotions, restructure thoughts, and maintain improvements. However, research has not yet thoroughly examined whether adding structured psychotherapy to ketamine treatment provides additional benefits.
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
May 29, 2026
Alex Hood, Gary Elkins
A systematic review of 25 studies found that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) produces a large reduction in anxiety symptoms within groups (Hedge's g = 0.96) and a small reduction compared to control groups (Hedge's g = 0.48). However, the studies varied widely in psychotherapy format, dosing, session structure, and outcome timing, and high heterogeneity persisted even after accounting for these differences. The authors conclude that PAP shows promise for treating anxiety across different diagnoses but caution that variability in study quality, design, sample representativeness, and high heterogeneity limit confidence in the findings. More rigorous trials with diverse populations are needed.
Current topics in medicinal chemistry
May 21, 2026
Guizhen Lyu, Dongbing Li
Depression affects over 300 million people worldwide and is a leading cause of disability. This review synthesizes recent advances in understanding depression across biological, cognitive, and psychosocial domains, highlighting innovations in diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment. It explores distinctions between major depressive disorder and bipolar depression, emphasizing biomarkers and neuroimaging to reduce misdiagnosis. Special attention is given to under-researched subtypes like postpartum, inflammation-related, and adolescent depression. Pathophysiological insights include dysregulated neurotransmitter systems, neuroinflammation, and disrupted neural connectivity, with genetic-environment interactions underscoring personalized approaches. Advances in treatment range from FDA-approved neurosteroid therapies for postpartum depression to psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for treatment-resistant cases, advocating for precision psychiatry and interdisciplinary models to reduce healthcare disparities.
BMC medicine
May 19, 2026
Rebecca Morris, Ayse Gundogan, Vanessa Lawrence et al.
A meta-ethnography of eight qualitative studies examined how people with eating disorders and their providers experience psychedelic-assisted therapy. Five meta-themes emerged: core transformative processes (Mind-Body-Spirit, Emotional Processing) unfold within specific contextual conditions (Navigating Challenges and Risks, Enabling Safe and Supportive Experiences) and lead to meaningful outcomes (Therapeutic Improvements). Psychedelics may improve emotion processing and enhance perception of and connection with the body and self, which is pertinent to eating disorder recovery. However, low weight and physical vulnerabilities increase risks for adverse side effects. To achieve therapeutic outcomes, eating-disorder-specific contextual conditions are required, including dual competency in psychedelic treatment and eating disorder psychopathology.
Current psychiatry reports
May 14, 2026
Jamarie A Geller, Rachel Pacilio, Amanda E Downey et al.
Psilocybin-assisted therapy may hold promise for anorexia nervosa, a serious and often treatment-resistant illness. Although research has focused on adults, anorexia frequently begins in adolescence, and early onset is linked to more severe illness, greater psychiatric comorbidity, and more life difficulties. The authors argue that exploring the theoretical potential of this therapy for adolescents is warranted, considering biological implications, developmental stage, and consent. They propose adaptations to adult treatment models and discuss emerging models that address the unique challenges of adolescent patients.
BMJ open
May 11, 2026
Julia Colcott, Alexandre A Guerin, Olivia Carter et al.
A new tool, the MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Side Effects Tool (M-SET), was developed to systematically capture side effects during MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. Experts in MDMA-AP and neuropsychopharmacology participated in a two-round online Delphi process to refine a list of 165 items across four questionnaires covering screening, baseline, medication session days, and follow-up. The tool aims to improve safety monitoring and build a more robust evidence base on the tolerability of MDMA-AP for research and clinical use.
British journal of clinical pharmacology
May 8, 2026
Ioanna Artemis Vamvakopoulou, Dasha Nicholls, David J Nutt et al.
Rates of mental illness among young people are rising, but few new treatments have emerged. Psychedelic-assisted therapy with psilocybin and MDMA has shown promise for adults with depression, anxiety, and PTSD, and interest is growing in its use for adolescents. A comprehensive review of all research on children and young people—from 1950s experiments to recent observational and retrospective studies of traditional and non-medical use—finds that psychedelics appear safe overall and may improve mental wellbeing in this age group. However, young people may face greater risks of anxiety, challenging experiences, and ego dissolution, warranting more thorough clinical research. The authors recommend a rigorous ethical framework with family involvement and consideration of lower doses to reduce potential harms.
JAMA Netw Open
May 1, 2026
A critical appraisal of pilot results for psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for cocaine use disorder, examining the initial findings and methodological limitations of early research in this area. The appraisal identifies significant challenges in study design, including small sample sizes and lack of adequate control conditions, which limit the reliability and generalizability of the reported outcomes. It emphasizes the need for more rigorous, larger-scale trials before drawing conclusions about efficacy. The analysis underscores the importance of cautious interpretation of pilot data and highlights specific methodological issues that must be addressed in future research to determine whether this treatment approach holds promise for cocaine use disorder.
Supportive Care in Cancer
May 1, 2026
A. Wech, A. Akroyd, C. Clayden et al.
Advanced cancer patients and their carers are open to psychedelic-assisted therapies for existential distress, provided risks are carefully managed. In interviews with 15 participants, most expressed positive views, recognizing that with few available options and often poor quality of life, any intervention offering potential benefit was worthwhile. Acceptance was tempered by concerns about safety and a desire to minimize risk. The findings show that patient and carer perspectives should be included in developing these therapies.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
May 1, 2026
Grace Viljoen, Henrik Walter, Antonia Bendau et al.
3 citations
A systematic review of 54 studies found that the intensity of the acute psychedelic experience, particularly mystical-type experiences, is the most frequently reported predictor of therapeutic response in psychedelic-assisted therapy for mental disorders, though this was not consistent across all disorders or time points. Factors related to set, setting, and dose were associated with the likelihood and intensity of these experiences. The review included adult populations with substance-use disorders, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and existential distress, as well as naturalistic samples.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
May 1, 2026
Bonnie Brusky, Katia M'Bailara, François Alla et al.
In most clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted treatments, the psychological support provided meets accepted definitions of psychotherapy. A systematic review of 29 trials (449 patients) using a four-item common factors framework found that 69% of all trials satisfied all four criteria. Among trials that explicitly labeled their support as psychotherapy, 84% met all four factors; among those that did not use the label, 40% still met all four. The findings suggest that psychological interventions in these trials are not merely for risk minimization but function as active therapeutic components. This has implications for clinician training, treatment duration, and the ethical need to measure and address the complexity of these interventions to improve outcomes and protect patients.