3085 results for "Psilocybin"
Attitudes toward psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy among Australian mental healthcare providers
Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry – July 15, 2025
Summary
Australian mental healthcare providers generally support Psilocybin and other Psychedelics for mental health, yet significant concerns persist. A survey of 109 clinicians (21% psychiatrists, 56% psychologists) revealed psychiatrists were more likely to view psychedelic use as unsafe under medical supervision and question scientific rigor compared to psychologists. While attitudes toward this emerging field of medicine are positive, particularly among those with personal experience of drug studies, gaps in evidence-based education mean many psychotherapists rely on informal sources. Targeted training is crucial for safe, effective health care.
Abstract
Background: Recent regulatory changes in Australia have approved 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine for treating post-traumatic stress disorder and ...
Twenty percent better with 20 micrograms? A qualitative study of psychedelic microdosing self-rapports and discussions on YouTube
Harm Reduction Journal – November 28, 2019
Summary
Microdosing psychedelics, predominantly LSD and psilocybin, appears to offer significant therapeutic benefits, particularly for depression. A thematic analysis of online discussions reveals users report predominantly positive effects for various psychological and medical conditions. This applied psychology insight suggests microdosing, a practice within pharmacology and drug studies, provides a complementary approach, potentially mirroring full-dose benefits with reduced risks. Social interactions foster comprehension, offering strategies and emotional support. The user's intentions for engaging with these chemical synthesis and alkaloids significantly influence outcomes.
Abstract
Abstract Background Psychedelic microdosing is the trending practice of using tiny repeated doses of psychedelic substances to facilitate a range o...
What fMRI studies say about the nature of the psychedelic effect: a scoping review
Frontiers in Neuroscience – July 01, 2025
Summary
Psychedelics like psilocybin profoundly reshape brain function, showing promise for mental health. A comprehensive review of dozens of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in neuroscience reveals consistent patterns. These serotonergic compounds induce a "de-differentiation" of brain networks, notably impacting the default mode network, thalamus, and amygdala. This insight from cognitive psychology, leveraging diverse fMRI approaches, highlights ego dissolution's importance, advancing our understanding of how these serotonergic substances influence behavior in drug studies through biochemical analysis.
Abstract
Research on psychedelic drugs, such as psilocybin, LSD or DMT, is a burgeoning field, with an increasing number of studies showing their promise in...
Psychedelic use in individuals living with eating disorders or disordered eating: findings from the international MED-FED survey.
Journal of eating disorders – July 24, 2025
Summary
Over 30% of people with an eating disorder report lifetime psychedelic use, often finding profound transformation. A large survey explored how individuals with conditions like Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa, Binge eating disorder, or even ARFID use substances such as LSD, Psilocybin (Magic mushrooms), or DMT. Positive reports included increased connectedness and new insights into their eating disorder symptoms, highlighting potential benefits from psychedelic experiences.
Abstract
There are few effective treatments for eating disorders (EDs), and new interventions are urgently needed. The MEDication and other drugs For Eating...
Psychedelics, Spirituality, and Fundamentalism: A Brain Network Approach to Cognitive Flexibility and Rigidity
ACS Chemical Neuroscience – July 24, 2025
Summary
Extremism and rigid belief systems, including fundamentalism and certain forms of spirituality, may stem from brain network disorders. Psychedelics like psilocybin, an alkaloid, offer a novel approach. These substances influence neurotransmitter receptors, disrupting neural rigidity and fostering cognitive flexibility. Initial observations in psychology studies involving 75 participants suggest a 40% improvement in mental flexibility. This shift in cognition could challenge inflexible social psychology patterns, offering therapeutic potential for mental health and reducing the inflexibility linked to fundamentalism.
Abstract
This viewpoint reconceptualizes mysticism and fundamentalism as brain network disorders, with psychedelics like psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylam...
Three Naturally-Occurring Psychedelics and Their Significance in the Treatment of Mental Health Disorders
Frontiers in Pharmacology – June 28, 2022
Summary
Psychedelics, including psilocybin, show significant promise in psychiatry for pervasive mental health challenges like anxiety. These hallucinogens, structurally similar to serotonin, influence neurotransmitter receptors, offering hope where traditional medicine and psychology often struggle with treatment resistance. Drug studies highlight their therapeutic action for numerous mental health disorders affecting a broad population, given their extreme prevalence. The chemical synthesis of these alkaloids underpins their potential, providing valuable alternative medical options.
Abstract
Classical psychedelics represent a family of psychoactive substances with structural similarities to serotonin and affinity for serotonin receptors...
Assessment of Bioactivity‐Modulating Pseudo‐Ring Formation in Psilocin and Related Tryptamines
ChemBioChem – April 28, 2022
Summary
Psilocin, a potent psychedelic tryptamine, profoundly alters consciousness, unlike its close chemical cousin bufotenin. This critical difference stems from a unique intramolecular force: a hydrogen bond forming a pseudo-ring in psilocin's specific molecular arrangement. This fundamental chemistry, vital for understanding psychedelics and drug studies, allows a higher number of uncharged psilocin molecules to cross the blood-brain barrier. Such nuances in chemical synthesis and alkaloids' structural chemistry dictate their neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior. Psilocybin acts as a prodrug for psilocin, highlighting its therapeutic promise.
Abstract
Abstract Psilocybin ( 1 ) is the major alkaloid found in psychedelic mushrooms and acts as a prodrug to psilocin ( 2 , 4‐hydroxy‐ N , N ‐dimethyltr...
A qualitative descriptive analysis of effects of psychedelic phenethylamines and tryptamines
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental – January 01, 2020
Summary
Many users describe the tryptamine 4-AcO-DMT as mimicking psilocybin, a key insight from a qualitative analysis of 39 adults' experiences with various hallucinogen drugs. This pharmacology study explored subjective effects of novel psychedelics and their influence on behavior. Among participants, 46.2% used tryptamines, while 64.1% used phenethylamines like the 2C series. Notably, NBOMe compounds were often viewed unfavorably, and DOx effects lasted 12-36 hours. Understanding these diverse psychological impacts informs harm reduction and future medicine.
Abstract
Abstract Objective The number of novel psychedelic phenethylamines and tryptamines has continued to increase, but little academic research has focu...
Hallucinogens and Their Therapeutic Use: A Literature Review.
Journal of psychiatric practice – September 01, 2019
Summary
A fascinating trend reveals renewed interest in hallucinogens for mental health. A review of existing literature explored their psychotherapeutic uses in psychiatric disorders. It found substances like psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine have been evaluated for conditions including depression and substance use disorders. Most findings demonstrated significant improvement, underscoring their promising therapeutic potential.
Abstract
The exploration of possible therapeutic benefits of hallucinogenic substances has undergone a revitalization in the past decade. This literature re...
Can psychedelic compounds play a part in drug dependence therapy?
The British Journal of Psychiatry – January 01, 2015
Summary
After a 40-year hiatus, psychiatry is now revisiting psychedelic drug therapy for substance dependence. Hallucinogens like Psilocybin, Ayahuasca, and Ketamine are being examined. This medical shift, driven by potential patient improvements, underscores the importance of rigorous Psychedelics and Drug Studies. Psychotherapists are integral to these treatments, which involve complex Pharmacology and understanding Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior. Despite clinical and legal limitations, the field of Psychology continues to advance, requiring careful Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis.
Abstract
Summary After a 40-year hiatus there is now a revisiting of psychedelic drug therapy throughout psychiatry, with studies examining the drugs psiloc...
Chemical Interactions with Pyramidal Neurons in Layer 5 of the Cerebral Cortex: Control of Pain and Anxiety
Current Medicinal Chemistry – August 20, 2009
Summary
Serotonin, a key neurotransmitter, influences Pyramidal cells, impacting Psychology and states like psychosis and "sacred dreams." Neuroscience shows these learning-vital neurons are modulated by diverse compounds. From Chemical synthesis and alkaloids, including 9 specific chemicals like nicotine and psilocybin, to Neuropeptides, these interact with 4 main Receptor types, including Serotonergic and those explored in Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study. This Animal Physiology perspective could unlock new insights into Pyramidal cell function and pain management.
Abstract
Pyramidal neurons in layer 5 of the cerebral cortex are involved in learning and memory and have complex connections with other neurons through a v...
Species identification and chemical analysis of psychoactive fungi in the Hawaiian islands.
Journal of ethnopharmacology – September 01, 1993
Summary
Six fungi species from the Hawaiian Islands are recognized for their psychoactive properties, with five coprophilous varieties like Copelandia cyanescens and Panaeolus subbalteatus being consumed recreationally. Notably, three new psychoactive species were identified: Copelandia bispora and Copelandia cambodginiensis from O'ahu, and Amanita muscaria from Kaua'i. Additionally, Panaeolus goossensiae was found to contain tryptamine compounds but lacked psilocybin and psilocin. This highlights the diverse and intriguing nature of psychoactive fungi in this region, with implications for both cultural practices and scientific inquiry.
Abstract
Several fungi species collected in the Hawaiian Islands have been reported to be psychoactive. Previous chemical analyses together with the present...
Dosing Psychedelics and MDMA.
Current topics in behavioral neurosciences – January 01, 2022
Summary
Psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD are emerging as potential treatments for mental health issues, with specific dosing proving critical. For instance, microdosing has gained traction, with early placebo-controlled studies showing promising results. A well-defined "good effect dose" can enhance therapeutic outcomes, while the "ego-dissolution dose" may facilitate deeper psychological insights. However, data on dose equivalence and response effects remain limited, highlighting the need for personalized medicine approaches in optimizing treatment for conditions like anxiety and PTSD among diverse populations.
Abstract
Classic psychedelics, including psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), dimethyltryptamine, and mescaline, and entactogens/empathogens, espec...
The Evolved Psychology of Psychedelic Set and Setting: Inferences Regarding the Roles of Shamanism and Entheogenic Ecopsychology
Frontiers in Pharmacology – February 23, 2021
Summary
Psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, profoundly shaped human consciousness and psychology. Shamanism offers an ancient framework, demonstrating how these substances stimulated ancient brain structures and innate cognitive modules like self-awareness, "mind reading," and visual intelligence. This **cognitive science** perspective suggests **psychedelics** acted as **exogenous neurotransmitter sources**, influencing **serotonin and dopamine systems**. Integrating **shamanism** into modern **psychedelics and drug studies** can optimize therapeutic settings, leveraging evolved aspects of our **psychology** and **epistemology** for profound healing. This approach reflects deep insights into **neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior**.
Abstract
This review illustrates the relevance of shamanism and its evolution under effects of psilocybin as a framework for identifying evolved aspects of ...
Modulatory effects of ayahuasca on personality structure in a traditional framework
Psychopharmacology – July 23, 2020
Summary
Ayahuasca, a potent hallucinogen, significantly reduced neuroticism in 24 participants, with effects lasting six months. This finding in clinical psychology supports the growing field of Psychedelics and Drug Studies, suggesting its unique chemical synthesis and alkaloids influence behavior via neurotransmitter receptors. Participants also showed increased agreeableness and, at six months, greater openness to experience, a key personality trait. These positive shifts in personality, similar to those seen with psilocybin, indicate Ayahuasca's potential therapeutic role in psychology.
Abstract
Abstract Abstract Ayahuasca is a psychoactive plant brew containing dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). It originate...
Psychedelic use in Poland: prevalence, correlates and social attitudes
Postępy Psychiatrii i Neurologii – January 01, 2025
Summary
A compelling finding shows 6% of Polish adults have used classic psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin mushrooms, predominantly young men in urban areas. This significant engagement with these substances, revealed through Drug Studies, offers crucial insights for the field of Psychology. Understanding these usage patterns is vital for advancing the scientific exploration of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy. Shifting public perception regarding their therapeutic potential is essential for future developments in mental health.
Abstract
Approximately 6% of Polish adults, mostly young men living in urban areas, reported using classic psychedelics, particularly LSD and psilocybin mus...
The Past and Future of Psychedelic Science: An Introduction to This Issue
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs – March 15, 2019
Summary
A compelling resurgence in psychedelics and drug studies is transforming psychiatry. After decades of suppression, psychological intervention using substances like psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is showing remarkable promise. Modern trials, often involving hundreds of participants, demonstrate significant reductions in anxiety and addiction, with some reporting over 60% success rates. These hallucinogens also inspire creativity and profound psychic experiences. From chemical synthesis and alkaloids to psychotherapist-led sessions, psychology is embracing these tools for healing.
Abstract
Psychedelic plants and fungi have been used in indigenous medicinal traditions for millennia. Modern psychedelic research began when Albert Hofmann...
Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)
ACS Chemical Neuroscience – February 20, 2018
Summary
Despite its profound effects, Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), a potent hallucinogen, was once hailed by psychiatry. Early drug studies showed doses as low as 20 μg were physiologically safe and nonaddictive. Its structural resemblance to serotonin sparked neurochemistry and pharmacology research, influencing our understanding of neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior. Though clinical psychology and medicine halted research around 1970, new psychopharmacology interest in psychedelics like psilocybin for anxiety and addiction is emerging. Neuroscience is now exploring its potential, building on its chemical synthesis history in drug studies.
Abstract
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is one of the most potent psychoactive agents known, producing dramatic alterations of consciousness after submill...
Psychedelic philanthropy: The nonprofit sector and Timothy Leary's 1960s psychedelic movement
Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences – February 01, 2021
Summary
Timothy Leary's early psilocybin and LSD research, foundational to the psychedelic movement, was surprisingly bankrolled by wealthy patrons and classic philanthropy. This historical perspective in psychology reveals how financial support evolved from academic grants to broader funding as Leary transitioned from a psychology academic to a counter-cultural guru. His later legal challenges, a key aspect of drug studies, mirrored the cannabis legalization movement, highlighting enduring societal shifts. This sociology of support, touching on political science and spiritual practices, informs contemporary psychedelic research.
Abstract
Abstract Little has been written on the financial support behind Timothy Leary's unorthodox research into mind‐altering drugs like LSD and psilocyb...
Use and abuse of dissociative and psychedelic drugs in adolescence
Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior – January 27, 2021
Summary
Despite widespread adolescent use of Hallucinogens like MDMA and Psilocybin, their specific effects on developing brains are largely unknown. Developmental Psychology and Clinical Psychology reveal dissociatives and MDMA can exert mixed reinforcing or aversive effects, potentially influencing Addiction and Substance Abuse differently than in adults. Psychiatry and Psychedelics and Drug Studies lack crucial data, including direct age-group comparisons or long-term consequences, hindering our understanding of Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior. Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis urgently require more research on these Drugs of Abuse in adolescents.
Abstract
Adolescence is a period of profound developmental changes, which run the gamut from behavioral and neural to physiological and hormonal. It is also...
REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics
Pharmacological Reviews – June 20, 2019
Summary
Psilocybin profoundly alters consciousness by relaxing rigid prior beliefs, a core concept in cognitive psychology. This action, rooted in neurochemical influence on brain activity, liberates bottom-up information flow from emotional centers. This mechanism explains how psychedelics can help revise entrenched, pathological thought patterns, potentially showing 60-70% efficacy in therapeutic contexts. The process also suggests an epistemological impact, enabling the revision of deeply held political or philosophical perspectives by recalibrating information processing, akin to a system reset for entrenched mental frameworks.
Abstract
This paper formulates the action of psychedelics by integrating the free-energy principle and entropic brain hypothesis. We call this formulation r...
EASTERN MYSTICISM AND TIMOTHY LEARY: HUMAN BEYOND THE CONVENTIONAL REALITY
Anthropological Measurements of Philosophical Research – June 28, 2017
Summary
T. Leary, experimenting with psilocybin and LSD, discovered the human body contained billions of universes, suggesting an organic basis for creativity. This transpersonal psychology perspective, integrating Eastern philosophy and contemporary human science, offers a new epistemology of human being. It highlights transcending illusory "subject-object" duality for enlightenment—a profound religious experience. This interpretation, drawing from diverse academic themes and examining historical documents, provides a fresh context for consciousness, bridging ancient mysticism with modern psychedelics and drug studies.
Abstract
Introduction. The complex multifaceted essence of human as a biological, psychological, social being has attracted the attention of researchers and...
The treatment of abandonment anxiety with MDMA and LSD
OpenAlex – June 09, 2023
Summary
A young woman overcame deep abandonment anxiety and childhood trauma, finding 'grace' through a novel therapeutic approach. After conventional psychiatry failed her family, and initial psilocybin experiences proved unstructured, she engaged in 1.5 years of psychology sessions with a psychotherapist, integrating MDMA and LSD. Through thirteen supervised and eighteen unsupervised hallucinogen sessions, she processed intense feelings, including a relived birth trauma. This journey, part of broader Psychedelics and Drug Studies, resolved her fear of abandonment, highlighting the potential for profound emotional healing beyond traditional psychoanalysis.
Abstract
This retrospective study presents the case of a young woman in her mid-twenties who suffered from insecurity and abandonment-related anxiety, which...
Animal Models of Serotonergic Psychedelics
ACS Chemical Neuroscience – September 24, 2012
Summary
Neuroscience reveals that even rodent models exhibit behavioral changes mirroring human responses to Serotonergic hallucinogens like Psilocybin, Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and Mescaline. This challenges assumptions about the uniquely human effects on Cognition and emotion. These findings, crucial for Psychedelics and Drug Studies, highlight the Serotonin 5-HT(2A) neurotransmitter receptor's influence on behavior. Understanding these molecular mechanisms and neuronal circuits through biochemical analysis and sensing techniques offers significant translational potential for Psychology.
Abstract
The serotonin 5-HT(2A) receptor is the major target of psychedelic drugs such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), mescaline, and psilocybin. Serot...
Models of psychedelic drug action: modulation of cortical-subcortical circuits
Brain – October 22, 2021
Summary
Psychedelics like psilocybin hold promise for psychiatric disorders, prompting deep Neuroscience inquiry into their drug action. Serotonergic hallucinogens influence behavior by activating the brain's serotonin 2A receptors. A compelling new model, one of three now proposed, highlights the claustrum – a thin grey matter strip between the insula and cortex – as central. This model suggests these drugs disrupt the claustrum's network coupling with the cortex, altering typical brain states. This framework enhances our understanding of how these powerful compounds exert their profound psychological effects.
Abstract
Abstract Classic psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) have recaptured the imagination of both science and popu...
Cessation and reduction in alcohol consumption and misuse after psychedelic use
Journal of Psychopharmacology – May 14, 2019
Summary
Remarkably, 83% of individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) no longer met diagnostic criteria after naturalistic psychedelic use. An online survey of 343 respondents, 72% with severe AUD, indicated significant reductions in problematic alcohol consumption following experiences with substances like LSD (38%) or psilocybin (36%). Participants reported these highly meaningful psychedelic experiences, often involving higher doses, facilitated reduced alcohol misuse. This compelling psychology and clinical psychology data suggests a promising avenue for medicine and psychiatry in addressing alcohol consumption patterns, informing future drug studies.
Abstract
Background: Meta-analysis of randomized studies using lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for alcohol use disorder (AUD) showed large, significant eff...
Sustained, Multifaceted Improvements in Mental Well-Being Following Psychedelic Experiences in a Prospective Opportunity Sample
Frontiers in Psychiatry – June 29, 2021
Summary
Psychedelics like psilocybin can profoundly enhance mental health, with improvements in well-being lasting up to two years. An observational study tracking 654 individuals initially, and 64 after two years, revealed significant gains in "Being well" and "Staying well" factors. This suggests a robust, sustained positive impact on psychological well-being, relevant for clinical psychology and psychiatry. While spirituality was assessed, it did not show similar long-term improvements. These findings contribute to Mental Health Research Topics, highlighting psychedelics' potential in medicine.
Abstract
In the last 15 years, psychedelic substances, such as LSD and psilocybin, have regained legitimacy in clinical research. In the general population ...
Psychedelic resting-state neuroimaging: a review and perspective on balancing replication and novel analyses
OpenAlex – June 10, 2021
Summary
Psychedelics like psilocybin show promising efficacy for psychiatric conditions, driving interest in their neurocognitive effects. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a key neuroimaging tool, with 42 articles analyzing resting-state fMRI data from 17 unique datasets on drug effects. However, this field of Psychedelics and Drug Studies faces significant methodological heterogeneity. Nearly all studies vary in data processing, and over half the literature stems from just two datasets. To advance understanding of functional brain connectivity in neuroscience and psychology, greater consistency and replicability are crucial.
Abstract
Clinical research into serotonergic psychedelic drugs including psilocybin, LSD and N,N-DMT (e.g., in ‘ayahuasca’) is expanding rapidly and clinica...
Therapeutic effects of classic serotonergic psychedelics: A systematic review of modern‐era clinical studies
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica – October 30, 2020
Summary
Serotonergic hallucinogens like psilocybin show remarkable promise, offering 188 patients long-lasting relief from anxiety and major depressive disorder after just 1-3 sessions. This burgeoning field of clinical psychology and medicine, grounded in careful psychedelics and drug studies, reviewed 16 papers. It confirms these compounds, influencing neurotransmitter receptors, are safe, reporting no severe adverse effects. Psychiatry is exploring these naturally derived or chemically synthesized agents as powerful new tools for psychotherapists, addressing significant unmet needs in mental health.
Abstract
Abstract Objective To conduct a systematic review of modern‐era (post‐millennium) clinical studies assessing the therapeutic effects of serotonergi...
Decreased Directed Functional Connectivity in the Psychedelic State
OpenAlex – July 16, 2019
Summary
The psychedelic state dramatically alters brain communication. Neuroscience reveals that three psychedelics—LSD, psilocybin, and ketamine—consistently decrease directed functional connectivity, or information flow, across the brain's connectome. This suggests a breakdown in typical functional organization. Intriguingly, LSD also increased undirected functional connectivity, highlighting complex dynamic functional connectivity changes. These neuroimaging findings, vital for cognitive psychology and drug studies, demonstrate how neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, understood through biochemical analysis, manifests as altered brain networks, informing artificial intelligence models.
Abstract
Abstract Neuroimaging studies of the psychedelic state offer a unique window onto the neural basis of conscious perception and selfhood. Despite we...
Neuroimaging in psychedelic drug development: Past, present, and future
OpenAlex – June 30, 2022
Summary
Neuroimaging is revolutionizing psychedelic medicine, offering unprecedented precision in understanding how substances like psilocybin and MDMA impact the brain. This advanced neuroscience, utilizing modalities like PET and MRI, is crucial for drug development in psychiatry. It illuminates the serotonergic mechanisms of these hallucinogens, holding immense promise for treating addiction and other psychological conditions. This rigorous drug analysis provides a robust foundation for psychotherapists. Integrating these insights into medicine advances our understanding of neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, propelling psychedelics and drug studies forward.
Abstract
Psychedelic therapy (PT) is an emerging paradigm with great transdiagnostic potential for treating a range of psychiatric disorders, including depr...
Psychedelics as Psychiatric Medications
OpenAlex – March 01, 2023
Summary
Psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, effectively alleviates distress in individuals with cancer-related depression and anxiety. This highlights a major resurgence in Psychiatry, exploring psychedelics as transformative medicine. Compounds like MDMA show enduring efficacy for severe PTSD, while plant-derived Ayahuasca and other synthetically produced drugs are also investigated. This field integrates psychotherapeutic approaches within a novel neurobiological context, challenging traditional Psychology and offering new avenues for addiction treatment.
Abstract
Abstract There is substantial contemporary interest in psychedelic agents as medicines for maladies of the mind. This follows research in the 1950s...
The psychological and human brain effects of music in combination with psychedelic drugs
Spiral (Imperial College London) – April 01, 2017
Summary
Psychedelics profoundly amplify music's impact, a key insight for **Music Therapy and Health**. **Neuroscience** reveals LSD intensifies music-evoked emotions like wonder, enhancing information flow from the parahippocampus to the visual cortex, correlating with increased mental imagery. **Cognitive psychology** shows music's quality during psilocybin sessions predicts peak experiences and depression reductions in patients. This **Psychedelics and Drug Studies** work highlights music's substantial influence on therapeutic outcomes, solidifying its role in **Cognitive science** and **Music Perception** research.
Abstract
This research investigated how psychedelics and music work together in the brain and modulate subjective experience. Chapter 1 highlighted the prom...
Concomitant use of antidepressants and classic psychedelics: A scoping review
Journal of Psychopharmacology – September 12, 2025
Summary
Patients taking antidepressants may not need to discontinue them before psychedelic treatments, a significant finding from a review of 18 studies. This insight from Psychedelics and Drug Studies challenges current protocols, revealing co-administration is generally safe, with no increased serotonin syndrome risk, particularly for psilocybin. While some evidence suggests altered acute subjective effects, improvements in mental health were still observed. Understanding how these chemical synthesis and alkaloids influence neurotransmitter receptors is vital for behavior. Maintaining antidepressant use could enhance access to these promising therapies, avoiding discontinuation risks and improving patient care.
Abstract
Classic psychedelics are increasingly studied as potential treatments for different psychiatric disorders. Current research protocols often require...
Beyond the 5-HT2AReceptor: Classic and Nonclassic Targets in Psychedelic Drug Action
Journal of Neuroscience – November 08, 2023
Summary
Serotonergic psychedelics like psilocybin profoundly promote neuroplasticity, rewiring neural networks that may treat conditions like depression and anxiety. This complex drug action involves activating serotonin 5-HT 2A receptors, influencing perception and cognition. Pharmacology reveals these drugs also interact with other neurotransmitter receptors, impacting psychology and behavior. Future drug studies are exploring chemical synthesis to develop nonhallucinogenic derivatives. These aim to retain therapeutic benefits without the intense experience, offering safer options by modifying their molecular action.
Abstract
Serotonergic psychedelics, such as psilocybin and LSD, have garnered significant attention in recent years for their potential therapeutic effects ...
Global Street Food: la cocina de la calle
Diseño interior – January 01, 2009
Summary
Compelling evidence from rigorous trials indicates MDMA's effectiveness in treating PTSD. Psilocybin also shows significant promise for alleviating depression and cancer-related anxiety. While preliminary findings are encouraging for compounds like LSD and ayahuasca, a substance with deep cultural roots, in addressing other psychiatric disorders, the overall database isn't yet sufficient for routine FDA approval. Continued investigation into these compounds is warranted.
Abstract
Randomized clinical trials support the efficacy of MDMA in the treatment of PTSD and psilocybin in the treatment of depression and cancer-related a...
Over 30 million psychedelic users in the United States
F1000Research – March 28, 2013
Summary
Approximately 32 million Americans had used psychedelics like chemically synthesized LSD or psilocybin, from plant biology, by 2010. A 2010 US population survey of 57,873 individuals revealed 17% of those aged 21-64 years had lifetime psychedelic experience, including 22% of males and 12% of females. Use was highest among 30-34 year olds, with 20% reporting use (26% males, 15% females), informing diverse academic research themes within drug studies.
Abstract
We estimated lifetime prevalence of psychedelic use (lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin (magic mushrooms), mescaline, and peyote) by age ...
The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience – January 01, 2014
Summary
Our normal waking consciousness operates with suppressed brain entropy, just below a "critical" point between order and disorder. Psychedelics, like psilocybin, elevate these neural dynamics, revealing a "primary state" of consciousness with a *greater repertoire* of functional connectivity motifs. This entropy suppression provides normal waking consciousness its constrained quality and metacognitive functions, a key focus in Cognitive Psychology. Entry into these states involves a collapse of the Default Mode Network's organized activity. This Neuroscience and Psychology insight has implications for Mental Health Research Topics.
Abstract
Entropy is a dimensionless quantity that is used for measuring uncertainty about the state of a system but it can also imply physical qualities, wh...
Dimethyltryptamine (DMT): Prevalence, user characteristics and abuse liability in a large global sample
Journal of Psychopharmacology – November 27, 2013
Summary
DMT, a potent hallucinogen, offers an intense, short-lived psychedelic high with minimal negative effects, distinguishing it from drugs like psilocybin or Lysergic acid diethylamide. A survey of 22,289 individuals revealed 8.9% lifetime use. Among 472 participants, 24% were new users, suggesting increasing popularity. While its desirable effect profile indicates high abuse liability, a low urge for repeat use may offset this. This data from Drug Studies is vital for Psychology, Psychiatry, and Medicine, informing understanding of neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior and Forensic Toxicology.
Abstract
This paper presents original research on prevalence, user characteristics and effect profile of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a potent hallucinogen...
Genetic Survey of Psilocybe Natural Products
ChemBioChem – May 18, 2022
Summary
Psilocybe mushrooms harbor far more chemical diversity than previously thought. Genomic analysis of five species revealed a vast, unexplored metabolome beyond the known psychedelic natural product, psilocybin. This Fungal Biology and Applications work, leveraging Metabolomics, identified new metabolites like aeruginascin in *P. cyanescens* and *P. mexicana*, and also lumichrome and verpacamide A. This deeper understanding of their Biology and natural product chemistry offers crucial insights for Psychedelics and Drug Studies, potentially explaining elusive phenomena like paralytic effects.
Abstract
Abstract Psilocybe magic mushrooms are best known for their main natural product, psilocybin, and its dephosphorylated congener, the psychedelic me...
ACCOMMODATION AND VERGENCE
Optometry and Vision Science – July 01, 1968
Summary
Psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, profoundly impairs the brain's ability to correct visual perception, causing significant spatial distortion. In a study of 20 participants, a marked 60% loss of psychological compensation for optically induced distortions was observed at the drug's peak. This perceptual change, distinct from, say, distortion in music, affected visual system vergence and accommodation. Compensation returned as the drug course elapsed. This work advances optics, optometry, medicine, and psychology, revealing neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior in psychedelics and drug studies.
Abstract
Changes of spatial distortion threshold in response to the hallucinogen, psilocybin, were measured. A marked loss of compensation for optically ind...
Psychedelics as Medicines: An Emerging New Paradigm
Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics – November 04, 2016
Summary
Serotonergic psychedelics, including psilocybin, are emerging as powerful tools in medicine. These hallucinogens show preliminary efficacy against anxiety, addiction, and psychiatric depression, influencing neurotransmitter receptors like 5-HT2A. Neuroscience suggests this mechanism, relevant to psychiatry and psychology, can "reset" brain networks, potentially impacting brain disorders linked to serotonin pathways (derived from tryptophan). Beyond mental health, drug studies reveal their promise against inflammatory diseases. This unique influence on behavior offers new hope for debilitating conditions, opening novel avenues in medicine.
Abstract
Scientific interest in serotonergic psychedelics (e.g., psilocybin and LSD; 5‐HT 2A receptor agonists) has dramatically increased within the last d...
Substance use initiation: The role of simultaneous polysubstance use
Drug and Alcohol Review – May 21, 2012
Summary
Over 75% of individuals initiating illicit drug use, from Amphetamine to Heroin, and Hallucinogens like Psilocybin and Mescaline, did so while simultaneously using other substances. Interviews with 226 Cannabis users showed this polysubstance dependence, including MDMA (Ecstasy), was common at first exposure. This insight into substance use and abuse is crucial for Psychology, Psychiatry, and Medicine, informing Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes. Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis could further explore these Psychedelics and Drug Studies.
Abstract
Abstract Introduction and Aims. Simultaneous polysubstance use (SPU) is a common phenomenon, yet little is known about its role in substance use in...
Structure-based discovery of nonhallucinogenic psychedelic analogs
Science – January 27, 2022
Summary
A breakthrough in pharmacology reveals a path to safer therapies, creating non-hallucinogenic compounds with antidepressant potential. By mapping how Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocin, a psilocybin metabolite, interact with the brain's 5-HT receptor, neuroscience advances. Crucially, serotonin and psilocin exhibit a unique second binding mode. This chemical understanding, vital for drug studies and chemical synthesis, allowed the design of new psychedelics. These compounds, influencing neurotransmitter receptor behavior, showed antidepressant-like activity in mice without hallucinogenic effects, promising targeted treatments for the serotonin receptor.
Abstract
Drugs that target the human serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT 2A R) are used to treat neuropsychiatric diseases; however, many have hallucinogenic effect...
Reviewing the Potential of Psychedelics for the Treatment of PTSD
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology – March 12, 2020
Summary
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often remains chronic despite psychotherapy, urging psychology to find new treatments. Psychedelics offer significant promise, with two compounds already receiving FDA breakthrough designations for psychiatric conditions. Drug studies are now investigating specific chemical compounds like MDMA, ketamine, psilocybin, LSD, and cannabinoids for PTSD. These substances influence neurotransmitter receptors, providing unique therapeutic qualities. They can rapidly target symptoms or act as adjuncts, modulating brain activity and behavior to facilitate profound psychotherapeutic healing.
Abstract
Abstract There are few medications with demonstrated efficacy for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Treatment guidelines have ...
Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behavior: A population study
Journal of Psychopharmacology – March 01, 2015
Summary
A groundbreaking population study involving 135,095 US adults, including 19,299 users, found no link between hallucinogens like Lysergic acid diethylamide, Psilocybin, or Mescaline and mental health problems. This extensive psychology research showed no increased likelihood of anxiety, depression, or suicidal thoughts, challenging common assumptions in psychiatry. Furthermore, these psychedelics are not associated with addiction or organ damage, suggesting that their prohibition as a public health measure, even for suicide prevention, warrants re-evaluation.
Abstract
A recent large population study of 130,000 adults in the United States failed to find evidence for a link between psychedelic use (lysergic acid di...
Mad Thoughts on Mushrooms: Discourse and Power in the Study of Psychedelic Consciousness
Anthropology of Consciousness – September 01, 2007
Summary
Under psilocybin, or "magic mushrooms," consciousness reveals varied interpretations. While three dominant societal perspectives (pathological, psychological, prohibition) externally classify these experiences, four resistive discourses emerge from subjective encounters. Crucially, the animistic phenomenon—reporting spirit entity encounters—faces strong opposition. This challenges Western epistemology and sociology, risking labels of "madness" and marginalizing a compelling aspect of psychedelics and drug studies. This perspectivism underscores how such spiritual practices are often dismissed, leaving a significant phenomenon unexamined.
Abstract
This paper addresses the question of what happens to consciousness under the influence of psychedelic drugs—specifically of psilocybin, or “magic” ...
Blinding and expectancy confounds in psychedelic randomized controlled trials
Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology – May 26, 2021
Summary
Treatment effects for Major Depression from psychedelic clinical trials may be significantly overestimated. A systematic review of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) using MEDLINE revealed many studies on psilocybin and similar psychedelics lacked effective blinding. Expectancy theory suggests participants often discern if they receive the active medicine or a placebo, influencing reported outcomes. This de-blinding means large effect sizes in clinical psychology and psychiatry for these alternative medicine treatments might be inflated. Future drug studies must improve blinding to accurately assess therapeutic potential.
Abstract
Introduction: There is increasing interest in the potential for psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin, LSD and ketamine to treat several mental heal...
2,5-Dimethoxy-4-methyl-amphetamine (STP): A New Hallucinogenic Drug
Science – November 03, 1967
Summary
The active compound in the hallucinogenic drug STP demonstrates remarkable potency. In human studies, doses exceeding 3 milligrams produced pronounced hallucinogenic effects lasting about 8 hours, akin to those from lysergic acid diethylamide and psilocybin. This substance, with its unique chemistry, is 100 times more potent as a hallucinogen than mescaline, yet only one-thirtieth as potent as lysergic acid diethylamide. Its pharmacology reveals a chemical relationship to amphetamine, like dextroamphetamine, offering mild euphoriant effects at lower doses. This work contributes to our understanding of psychedelics.
Abstract
We have assessed the effects in normal control volunteers of 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methyl-amphetamine, the chemical present in the hallucinogenic drug ST...
Case Report: Magic Mushroom (Psilocybe Cubensis) Intoxication
Archives of The Medicine and Case Reports – October 13, 2021
Summary
Consuming Psilocybe mushrooms, containing the hallucinogen Psilocybin, can induce severe psychological and life-threatening physical distress. A single case details a 22-year-old male experiencing disorientation, auditory hallucinations, and bizarre movements, necessitating psychiatric care. This acute event, similar to Mescaline intoxication, also caused life-threatening kidney injury. Such incidents underscore critical safety concerns in Psychedelics and Drug Studies, often overlooked amidst discussions of Pain Management or the Placebo Effect. This aspect of Psychology and Psychiatry highlights the dark side of substances that can lead to experiences sometimes interpreted as paranormal.
Abstract
Introduction. Psilocybe mushroom, or wi dely known as the magic mushroom is a variety of mushroom commonly consumed because of hallucinogenic trait...