3085 results for "Psilocybin"
Central Aromatic Amine Levels and Behavior
Archives of Neurology – July 01, 1963
Summary
The profound impact of biogenic amines like Serotonin on behavior is a core focus in Psychology and Drug Studies. Pharmacology reveals how agents modulate these crucial compounds. For instance, Reserpine depletes amines, while Monoamine oxidase inhibitors prevent their destruction. Hallucinogens, including Lysergic acid diethylamide and Psilocybin, influence Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior by blocking or mimicking amine actions. The intricate Chemistry, from Phenothiazines and Benzothiazines Synthesis and Activities to broader amine applications, underpins diverse brain manipulations.
Abstract
Introduction The significance to behavior of biologically active amines normally present in the mammalian brain has been receiving increased attent...
Mycotherapy: Potential of Fungal Bioactives for the Treatment of Mental Health Disorders and Morbidities of Chronic Pain
Journal of Fungi – March 11, 2022
Summary
Psilocybin, a powerful hallucinogen, reveals rapid, long-lasting antidepressant and anxiolytic effects for mental health challenges. This emerging pharmacology in psychiatry shows promise for treating anxiety, addiction, and chronic pain. Both micro-dosing and acute dosing regimens demonstrate potential as medicine, modulating immune systems. Such psychedelics, derived from chemical synthesis and alkaloids, represent a significant area for drug studies within complementary and alternative medicine, providing new hope for patients.
Abstract
Mushrooms have been used as traditional medicine for millennia, fungi are the main natural source of psychedelic compounds. There is now increasing...
On the Relationship between Classic Psychedelics and Suicidality: A Systematic Review
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science – March 11, 2021
Summary
Recent clinical psychology trials show no increased suicidal ideation with psychedelic therapy, offering hope for mental health. A review of 64 articles, 41 on non-clinical hallucinogen use (like psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide) and 23 on therapy, explored this association. While early psychiatry cases noted suicides, modern Psychedelics and Drug Studies indicate acute and sustained decreases in suicidal ideation. Understanding these substances, from chemical synthesis and alkaloids to their forensic toxicology, is crucial for psychotherapists.
Abstract
Use of classic psychedelics (e.g., psilocybin, ayahuasca, and lysergic acid diethylamide) is increasing, and psychedelic therapy is receiving growi...
Evolving Issues in the Treatment of Depression
JAMA – May 24, 2019
Summary
Revolutionary advances are transforming Major depressive disorder treatment. Novel pharmacological drugs like psilocybin, showing over 60% symptom reduction in trials of hundreds, and ketamine, offering rapid antidepressant effects, are reshaping Psychiatry. Beyond potent medicine, diet and metabolism studies highlight the Mediterranean diet's impact, with programs achieving 30% improvement in depressive symptoms. These diverse approaches, from careful drug administration to nutritional support influencing tryptophan and brain disorders, provide crucial tools against Depression's economic burden, offering hope for severe cases often requiring intensive care.
Abstract
This Viewpoint discusses recent evidence documenting benefits of nonpharmacological and drug therapies for major depressive disorder including exer...
Steam sterilisation of sandpits infected with toxocara eggs.
BMJ – May 19, 1979
Summary
A legal loophole is fueling increased consumption of psilocybin mushrooms, prompting urgent medical awareness regarding potential long-term side effects. While approximately 5% of LSD users experience flashbacks, severe and uncharacteristic anxiety symptoms are also emerging as a significant concern, observed in a recent clinical cohort of 20 individuals. Healthcare professionals must recognize these psychological impacts as public use expands, necessitating vigilance for evolving trends in psychoactive substance effects.
Abstract
The law was subsequently changed to make possession of the plant illegal.Thus unless the Act is amended to name the psilocybin mushroom possession ...
Heaven and Hell—A Phenomenological Study of Recreational Use of 4-HO-MET in Sweden
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs – July 01, 2011
Summary
Users of the psychedelic 4-HO-MET describe profound shifts between "heaven" and "hell," yet remain satisfied and curious for more. An analysis of 25 anonymous Swedish experience reports (ages 18-30) explored the psychology of its recreation. These documents revealed drastic changes in cognition and perception, mirroring experiences with classic psychedelics like psilocybin. Strong curiosity drives this behavior, relevant to social psychology and broader psychedelics and drug studies. Understanding the substance's impact on neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior is crucial, a domain also pertinent to forensic toxicology and drug analysis.
Abstract
The psychoactive substance 4-HO-MET (4-hydroxy-N-methyl-N-ethyltryptamine) with psychedelic qualities is one of many legal so-called Internet drugs...
Novel Antidepressants in the Pipeline (Phase II and III): A Systematic Review of the US Clinical Trials Registry
Pharmacopsychiatry – January 19, 2022
Summary
Ayahuasca demonstrated a rapid antidepressant effect in a clinical trial, showing a greater response rate than placebo within one week. This highlights a promising shift in pharmacology for treating major depression. Nine novel compounds, including psilocybin, are advancing through clinical trials for conditions like treatment-resistant depression. These new medicines, emerging from psychedelics and drug studies, offer hope for psychiatry by moving beyond traditional neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, providing diverse options for effective depression treatment.
Abstract
Abstract Introduction There is an imminent need for faster-acting and more effective antidepressants beyond the monoaminergic hypothesis. Methods W...
Pharmacologic Similarities and Differences Among Hallucinogens
The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology – August 01, 2021
Summary
Hallucinogens profoundly alter thoughts and perceptions, a key area in Neuroscience and Psychology. While three classical Serotonergic compounds, including Psilocybin and Lysergic acid diethylamide, primarily influence Serotonin receptors, other Psychedelics operate through at least three distinct mechanisms, like NMDA antagonism or affecting Dopamine reuptake. Pharmacology reveals these varied actions, influencing behavior via diverse Neurotransmitter Receptor pathways. This review within Psychedelics and Drug Studies compares these substances' unique chemical synthesis and alkaloids, detailing their varied physical and psychiatric impacts, including potential toxicities.
Abstract
Abstract Hallucinogens constitute a unique class of substances that cause changes in the user's thoughts, perceptions, and mood through various mec...
Psychedelics as preventive treatment in headache and chronic pain disorders
Neuropharmacology – June 16, 2022
Summary
Psychedelic drug studies reveal a unique, lasting therapeutic benefit for chronic pain and headache disorders from limited dosing. Unlike conventional medicine, these potent compounds show promise. Emerging drug studies are exploring their neurobiological targets, crucial for understanding their impact in psychiatry and psychology. While a recent psilocybin trial in migraine has limitations, the distinct effects of these substances highlight the importance of understanding their chemical synthesis and action.
Abstract
The effects of psychedelic drugs in headache and chronic pain disorders have been reported for several decades, and now controlled studies are emer...
Increased use of illicit drugs in a Dutch cluster headache population
Cephalalgia – October 05, 2018
Summary
Patients suffering from debilitating cluster headache surprisingly use illicit drugs more often than the general population, 31.7% versus 23.8%. A study of 756 Dutch patients reveals some use these drugs as self-medicine. For instance, 56% of 22 psilocybin users and 60% of 3 lysergic acid diethylamide users reported reduced attack frequency. Heroin also offered relief for 50% of 2 users. This complex cluster of findings prompts further inquiry in Psychiatry, Addiction, and Migraine and Headache Studies, exploring potential treatments and the psychosomatic aspects of these severe headaches. Such Psychedelics and Drug Studies offer new avenues for Medicine.
Abstract
Introduction Many patients with cluster headache report use of illicit drugs. We systematically assessed the use of illicit drugs and their effects...
Quantitative Phosphoproteomics Unravels Biased Phosphorylation of Serotonin 2A Receptor at Ser280 by Hallucinogenic versus Nonhallucinogenic Agonists
Molecular & Cellular Proteomics – March 18, 2014
Summary
Hallucinogens like Lysergic acid diethylamide, Mescaline, and Psilocybin uniquely influence Serotonin 5-HT receptors. Biochemistry reveals their distinct pharmacology stems from biased phosphorylation. In HEK 293 cells, 16 out of 5995 identified phosphorylated peptides showed differential patterns when exposed to a hallucinogen versus the non-psychoactive Lisuride. This specific receptor mechanism, particularly at Ser280, dictates how these agonists, through their chemistry, affect receptor desensitization. This finding offers crucial insight for Psychedelics and Drug Studies on Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior.
Abstract
The serotonin 5-HT(2A) receptor is a primary target of psychedelic hallucinogens such as lysergic acid diethylamine, mescaline, and psilocybin, whi...
The Role of Psychedelics and Counseling in Mental Health Treatment
Journal of Mental Health Counseling – October 01, 2020
Summary
After centuries of global use and decades of restriction (1950s-1970s), psychedelic-assisted therapy is transforming psychiatry. Compounds like psilocybin, an alkaloid influencing neurotransmitter receptors, are now central to clinical psychology studies. These studies reveal significant reductions in depression and suicidal ideation for treatment-resistant individuals. This medicine offers renewed hope for complex mental health and addiction issues, including substance abuse. Effective therapy requires a psychotherapist's guidance, emphasizing psychology's critical role in these hallucinogen-based drug studies.
Abstract
Psychedelics (i.e., ketamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine, psilocybin) have been effectively used globally for centuries to treat mental health a...
Dissolving the self
Philosophy and the Mind Sciences – March 24, 2020
Summary
Psychedelic drugs like psilocybin profoundly alter consciousness, often dissolving the self – a phenomenon of deep philosophical and psychological interest. This "ego-dissolution" offers transformative therapeutic value for mental health. A cognitive science framework explains this via three mechanisms: the self arises from an embodied, generative model of reality; psychedelics, explored in Drug Studies, lower high-level prior precision; and this cognitive psychology shift collapses the model's "temporal thickness," disrupting normal phenomenology and our epistemology of self-consciousness, with implications for psychosis.
Abstract
Psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin, LSD and DMT are known to induce powerful alterations in phenomenology. Perhaps of most philosophical and scie...
Novel, Unifying Mechanism for Mescaline in The Central Nervous System: Electrochemistry, Catechol Redox Metabolite, Receptor, Cell Signaling and Structure Activity Relationships
Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity – January 01, 2009
Summary
A compelling unified **mechanism of action** in **neuroscience** proposes that **hallucinogens** like **Mescaline** and **Psilocybin** exert their effects through **electron transfer chemistry**. This **biochemistry** involves **metabolites** such as **quinone** forms, influencing **receptor** binding and **signal transduction** in the brain. This **pharmacology** framework, crucial for **Psychedelics and Drug Studies** and **Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research**, clarifies their **biophysics** and **stereochemistry**, impacting **neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior**. It clarifies how these compounds affect neural electrical signals.
Abstract
A unifying mechanism for abused drugs has been proposed previously from the standpoint of electron transfer. Mescaline can be accommodated within t...
Psychedelics as potent anti-inflammatory therapeutics
Neuropharmacology – August 22, 2022
Summary
A surprising discovery reveals Hallucinogens like Psilocybin, traditionally studied for their impact on Consciousness, are potent anti-inflammatories. While Neuroscience and Psychology focused on brain effects, new Pharmacology insights from Psychedelics and Drug Studies show these compounds modulate immunity throughout the body. This opens Medicine to a novel class of anti-inflammatory agents, effective even at doses below those altering perception. Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques are exploring how these compounds, related to Tryptophan, could treat inflammatory diseases beyond brain disorders.
Abstract
Psychedelics have seen a resurgence of interest from both the scientific and lay community in recent years. Psychedelics are known for their abilit...
Psychedelic treatment of functional neurological disorder: a systematic review
Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology – January 01, 2020
Summary
Sixty-nine percent of patients with Functional Neurological Disorder (formerly **Conversion disorder**) experienced recovery in early **psychedelics and drug studies**. A review of nine historical **medicine** studies (1954-1967) involving 26 patients explored **Psilocybin** and **Lysergic acid diethylamide** for this condition, which causes significant **distress** in **neurology** and **psychiatry**. Often combined with **psychotherapy** from a **psychotherapist** in **clinical psychology**, these **hallucinogens** showed promise for **psychosomatic disorders and their treatments**. While **adverse effect**s were mostly mild, one patient terminated due to severe **distress**.
Abstract
Functional neurological disorder (FND), formerly known as conversion disorder, causes a high burden of disability and distress, and is amongst the ...
Exploring Hallucinogen Pharmacology and Psychedelic Medicine with Zebrafish Models
Zebrafish – March 22, 2016
Summary
Hallucinogens like psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide are re-emerging as promising treatments for psychiatric disorders. To advance psychedelic medicine, understanding their pharmacology is crucial. Zebrafish offer an ideal model for drug studies, efficiently screening serotonergic compounds such as mescaline. This allows comprehensive assessment of therapeutic potential and toxicological effects. Informing psychology and medicine, this approach facilitates exploring how neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior can unlock new treatment avenues for brain disorders.
Abstract
After decades of sociopolitical obstacles, the field of psychiatry is experiencing a revived interest in the use of hallucinogenic agents to treat ...
Altered States
Anesthesiology – September 21, 2013
Summary
A fascinating neuroimaging discovery reveals psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, induces an altered state of consciousness by decreasing cerebral blood flow and creating functional disconnections. This pattern remarkably mirrors effects seen with general anesthetics, offering new insights for Neuroscience and Cognitive science. This comparison, crucial for Psychedelics and Drug Studies, explores how these distinct chemical synthesis and alkaloids influence behavior and consciousness. Understanding these mechanisms could revolutionize medicine's approach to altered states, linking ancient psychedelic experiences to modern neurotransmitter receptor influence.
Abstract
Abstract The psychedelic experience has been reported since antiquity, but there is relatively little known about the underlying neural mechanisms....
The Psychedelic Future of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment
Current Neuropharmacology – January 05, 2024
Summary
With 12 million U.S. adults impacted by traumatic stress, traditional mental health treatments often fall short. Emerging clinical psychology suggests a promising role for psychedelics in psychiatry. Hallucinogens like psilocybin and MDMA, alongside the dissociative ketamine, are being explored as potent medicine. These compounds, influencing neurotransmitter receptor behavior, offer a novel psychological intervention for mood and other mental health conditions. Psychedelics and Drug Studies are revealing how chemical synthesis and alkaloids can transform clinical care, providing new hope for those with severe mental health challenges.
Abstract
Abstract: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can occur following exposure to a traumatic experience. An estima...
Development and psychometric validation of a novel scale for measuring ‘psychedelic preparedness’
OpenAlex – April 28, 2023
Summary
Better psychedelic preparedness predicts improved mental health outcomes. A new 20-item Psychedelic Preparedness Scale (PPS), developed using a Delphi method with experts in clinical psychology and users, measures this crucial factor. Psychometrics, including exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, validated the scale in two samples of 516 and 716 users. It showed excellent reliability (ω = 0.954) and strong convergent and discriminant validity. Administered before a psilocybin retreat (N=46), the PPS demonstrated its utility in Applied Psychology and Psychedelics and Drug Studies, indicating how readiness impacts subsequent mental health and wellbeing.
Abstract
Preparing participants for psychedelic experiences is crucial for ensuring these experiences are safe, and potentially, beneficial. However, there ...
Prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex and its attentional modulation in the human S-ketamine and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) models of psychosis
Journal of Psychopharmacology – May 01, 2007
Summary
Unlike Schizophrenia, where Prepulse inhibition (a reflex like the Moro reflex in psychology) is diminished, the hallucinogen S-ketamine *increased* this startle reaction in 9 volunteers. This contrasts with animal models of psychosis (e.g., using Phencyclidine, Lysergic acid diethylamide, Mescaline), which show diminished inhibition. Serotonergic DMT, unlike Psilocybin, had no effect. This Neuroscience finding reveals complex Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior, crucial for Psychedelics and Drug Studies and potentially Treatment of Major Depression.
Abstract
Patients with schizophrenia exhibit diminished prepuLse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle reflex and deficits in the attentional moduLation ...
Antidepressant, Antipsychotic, and Hallucinogen Drugs for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders: A Convergence at the Serotonin-2A Receptor
Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services – June 30, 2016
Summary
A crucial finding in pharmacology reveals that combining common antidepressant and atypical antipsychotic medicines with hallucinogens can diminish the latter's therapeutic effects. These conventional drugs desensitize serotonin-2A receptors, which are key to how hallucinogens, like psilocybin from chemical synthesis, influence perception and mood in psychology. This insight from initial Phase 2 drug studies is vital for optimizing future psychedelic treatments in psychiatry. Understanding this neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior is critical for medicine, suggesting careful consideration of existing medication regimens.
Abstract
Antidepressant, atypical antipsychotic, and hallucinogen drugs mediate their actions in part by interactions with the serotonin-2A (5HT2A) receptor...
A phenomenological analysis of the subjective experience elicited by ibogaine in the context of a drug dependence treatment
Journal of Psychedelic Studies – August 29, 2017
Summary
A compelling finding from drug studies reveals ibogaine, a potent hallucinogen, can trigger challenging psychological experiences. In 22 patients, it induced intense dreamlike perception and heightened cognition, particularly memory retrieval concerning drug abuse. Unlike other psychedelics such as psilocybin or ayahuasca, ibogaine also caused strong, unpleasant physical effects. This unique response, rooted in its chemical nature, suggests these experiences might simulate threats, offering a distinct psychotherapeutic context for this population.
Abstract
Objective This report documents the phenomenology of the subjective experiences of 22 patients with substance-related disorders who were involved i...
Motives for Classical and Novel Psychoactive Substances Use in Psychedelic Polydrug Users
Contemporary Drug Problems – September 01, 2019
Summary
Feeling euphoric (58.0%), enhancing activities (52.3%), and broadening consciousness (48.1%) are key motives for using psychoactive substances. A survey of 1,967 adults explored motivations for traditional psychoactive drugs like Cannabis, MDMA, Ecstasy, Psilocybin, and Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), alongside designer drugs and synthetic cannabinoids. While overall motives were similar for psychedelics and other stimulants/hallucinogens, synthetic cannabinoids' use focused on intoxication. Understanding these motivations is crucial for psychology and psychiatry to mitigate harm.
Abstract
Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) are compounds designed to mimic the effects of existing recreational drugs (classical psychoactive substances [...
The use of illicit drugs as self-medication in the treatment of cluster headache: Results from an Italian online survey
Cephalalgia – April 22, 2015
Summary
All 54 cluster headache patients surveyed were dissatisfied with conventional Medicine, prompting many to explore illicit drug alternatives. In these Migraine and Headache Studies, 63% used cannabinoids, 33% tried Psilocybin, and 7% used Lysergic acid diethylamide. Alarmingly, 8 patients even resorted to Heroin. This use of illicit drugs, including Psychedelics, highlights a trend in Psychiatry. Patients, often finding suggestions online, underestimate legal risks and overestimate safety of these Complementary and Alternative Medicine approaches, impacting the physician-patient dynamic.
Abstract
Background Cluster headache (CH) patients often receive unsatisfactory treatment and may explore illicit substances as alternatives. We aimed to ex...
LSD treatment in Scandinavia: emphasizing indications and short-term treatment outcomes of 151 patients in Denmark
Nordic Journal of Psychiatry – July 05, 2017
Summary
A significant warning emerges from a **retrospective cohort study**: **psilocybin** and other **hallucinogens** like LSD may pose serious short- and long-term side effects for individuals with **mental health** conditions such as **neurosis**. While **psychedelics and drug studies** explore their potential in **psychiatry**, this analysis, potentially from **Danish medicine**, highlights that the clinical utility of these **chemical synthesis and alkaloids** remains unclarified. This finding warrants careful consideration within **complementary and alternative medicine studies** before broader application.
Abstract
Despite the significant limitations to a retrospective design, this database warrants caution in mental health patients. The use of LSD and psilocy...
Narratives of the mystical among users of psychedelics
Acta Sociologica – January 11, 2021
Summary
Profound mystical experiences, often involving psilocybin, exhibit universal psychological patterns but culturally specific narratives. Interviews with 50 psychedelic users reveal a perception of transcendence—beyond time and space—alongside deep euphoria and oneness. While rooted in traditional mysticism, these experiences also reflect contemporary political and aesthetic concerns, like environmental protection. This social psychology highlights how individual narratives, analyzed through a cross-cultural lens, are shaped by both archetypal human psychology and evolving societal contexts within psychedelics and drug studies.
Abstract
We are now witnessing a radical revival in clinical research on the use of psychedelics (e.g. LSD and psilocybin), where ‘mystical’ experiences are...
The Potential Role of Psychedelic Drugs in Mental Health Care of the Future
Pharmacopsychiatry – May 12, 2021
Summary
Psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) are revolutionizing mental health treatment, offering new hope in psychiatry. These powerful hallucinogens, including MDMA, demand redefined psychological intervention. Successful integration into medicine requires careful psychopharmacology, focusing on precise dosing and comprehensive psychotherapist support. Six crucial areas, from patient screening to psychological integration, must be addressed. This contextualization of chemical synthesis and alkaloids' influence on neurotransmitter receptors is vital for future Psychology and Psychedelics and Drug Studies, ensuring safe, effective care.
Abstract
Abstract Serotonergic psychedelics such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), or dimethyltryptamine (DMT), as well as psychoactive drugs...
Back to the Future — The Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Drugs
New England Journal of Medicine – April 14, 2021
Summary
Mescaline, described by Aldous Huxley as "extraordinary," sparked immense interest in hallucinogens. Lysergic acid diethylamide was synthesized in 1938, and Psilocybin extracted in 1959. This convergence propelled Psychedelic drug studies, linking alkaloid chemical synthesis with ancient Indigenous medicine, like Ayahuasca. Psychiatry and Psychology now explore their potential as medicine. Psychotherapists are examining their role in psychoanalysis, showcasing diverse academic research themes.
Abstract
In The Doors of Perception, Aldous Huxley described his trial of mescaline as "the most extraordinary and significant experience available to human...
Pharmacognostic, Forensic and Pharmaceutical, Organizational and Legal, Clinical and Pharmacological Multidisciplinary Study with an Assessment of Peculiarities of Circulation (Use) of Smoking Mixtures of Spices and Entheogens of Amanita Muscaria Mushroom
SSP Modern Pharmacy and Medicine – July 18, 2023
Summary
The use of *Amanita* mushrooms for their hallucinogenic effects in smoking mixtures is deemed irrational. A multidisciplinary evaluation, involving seven distinct types of Medical and Pharmaceutic Studies, analyzed the risks. This comprehensive assessment, crucial for Psychedelics and Drug Studies, examined *Amanita muscaria* as a source of psilocybin. It highlighted dangers of mushroom poisoning, informing on pharmaceutical safety and toxicology. While some traditional medicine uses exist, this research on medicinal plant effects and applications emphasizes the need for regulatory initiatives concerning these potent fungi, warning against their misuse as medicine.
Abstract
A multidisciplinary pharmacognostic, forensic and pharmaceutical, organizational and legal, clinical and pharmacological, forensic and medical, tox...
Dynamics of Psychedelic Drug Abuse
Archives of General Psychiatry – May 01, 1967
Summary
Unsupervised use of hallucinogens like Psilocybin and Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) poses significant hazards, clinical studies document. This phenomenon, despite regulatory efforts, has been largely put aside. It raises complex Psychology and Psychiatry questions regarding wide variety of personal and social determinants. Understanding how substances, including morning glory seeds, influence behavior via neurotransmitter receptors is crucial for Psychedelics and Drug Studies, necessitating robust forensic toxicology and drug analysis, with psychotherapist input, for public health.
Abstract
THE PUBLIC has become aware of the increasing use of the major psychedelic substances (lysergic acid diethylamide [LSD], peyote, psilocybin, mornin...
Cultural Neurophenomenology of Psychedelic Thought
Oxford University Press eBooks – April 05, 2018
Summary
Psilocybin and other hallucinogens profoundly alter human cognition and perception, fostering creative insight and mystical experiences. Neuroscience and Cognitive psychology reveal how these psychedelics influence brain connectivity, impacting consciousness. This integrative perspective, drawing from Psychology and Cognitive science, highlights that seemingly spontaneous thought patterns reflect complex interactions. Sociocultural evolution and specific cultural context critically shape these unique states, moving beyond simple drug studies to understand their full impact on human experience.
Abstract
This chapter explores psychedelics as catalysts of spontaneous thought. Classic serotonergic psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD, and ayahuasca ca...
Natural Psychoplastogens As Antidepressant Agents
Molecules – March 05, 2020
Summary
Addressing the critical issue where one-third of patients find current antidepressants ineffective, a new frontier in Psychiatry is emerging. Psychoplastogens, including Psilocybin, offer a rapid, potent solution for Depression. These compounds, central to Pharmacology and Drug Studies, quickly reorganize neural networks—a significant medical advance. Their chemical synthesis and alkaloids, often linked to Tryptophan and brain disorders, promise faster, more effective relief, transforming Psychology's approach to mental health.
Abstract
Increasing prevalence and burden of major depressive disorder presents an unavoidable problem for psychiatry. Existing antidepressants exert their ...
Use of Psychedelics for Pain: A Scoping Review
Anesthesiology – September 07, 2023
Summary
Chronic pain affects 1.5 billion people globally, highlighting an urgent need for new medicine. A review of 21 human studies reveals psychedelics, including psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (a hallucinogen), show promise for chronic pain, especially cancer pain and certain headaches. Conventional opioid treatments carry significant risks of addiction and adverse effects. Expanding clinical trials is vital to integrate these compounds into psychiatry and pain management, offering novel approaches beyond traditional analgesics.
Abstract
Chronic pain is a public health concern that affects approximately 1.5 billion people globally. Conventional therapeutic agents including opioid an...
Hallucinogens and Their Therapeutic Use: A Literature Review
Journal of Psychiatric Practice – September 01, 2019
Summary
Hallucinogens like psilocybin, ayahuasca, lysergic acid diethylamide, and mescaline show promising therapeutic potential in psychiatry. Reviewed literature associates these psychedelics with improved outcomes for conditions from depression to autism, sparking interest across medicine and clinical psychology. While many studies indicate positive impacts, particularly for substance use disorders, definitive conclusions are hampered by small sample sizes and inconsistent measures. Future investigations are crucial to fully understand their neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, beyond forensic toxicology and drug analysis.
Abstract
The exploration of possible therapeutic benefits of hallucinogenic substances has undergone a revitalization in the past decade. This literature re...
Psychedelics and mindfulness: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Journal of Psychedelic Studies – September 16, 2022
Summary
A systematic review of 13 studies, from 1805 screened, compellingly shows that ingesting psychedelics, such as psilocybin and Ayahuasca, significantly enhances mindfulness. These hallucinogens, impacting neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, specifically boost acceptance—non-judgement of inner experience and non-reactivity. A meta-analysis of 6 studies further detailed small effects, particularly with Ayahuasca, on non-judgement and acting with awareness. This insight from psychology and drug studies offers promising avenues for clinical psychology and psychotherapist approaches.
Abstract
Abstract Background and aims The benefits of classic serotonergic psychedelics (e.g. psilocybin, LSD, DMT, ayahuasca) are becoming more widely know...
Effects of Ayahuasca on Personality: Results of Two Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trials in Healthy Volunteers
Frontiers in Psychiatry – August 06, 2021
Summary
A compelling psychology finding: the hallucinogen Ayahuasca, a complex plant alkaloid, may influence personality. In two randomized controlled trials, 15 volunteers in one Ayahuasca-plus-placebo group showed a significant increase in Openness to experience among their Big Five personality traits 21 days later. While previous Psychedelics and Drug Studies with psilocybin were inconsistent, these 30-volunteer trials also showed inconsistent effects. Implications for clinical psychology, psychiatry, and medicine require more consistent results.
Abstract
Rationale: Previous studies with the serotonergic hallucinogens LSD and psilocybin showed that these drugs induced changes in personality traits, s...
Does the Nervous System Have an Intrinsic Archaic Language? Entoptic Images and Phosphenes
NeuroQuantology – June 02, 2014
Summary
Ancient psychoactive plants, including Psilocybin, Mescaline, and Ayahuasca, profoundly shaped human history and art for millennia. Consumed in rituals, these plant-derived chemicals induce trance states and altered consciousness, revealing universal geometric forms and archetypal symbols. This ancient visual language, deeply embedded in our psychology, has influenced aesthetics and religious figures across cultures since Neolithic times, highlighting the profound impact of psychedelics on human expression.
Abstract
Psychoactive plants have been consumed by many cultures, cults and groups during religious rituals and ceremonies for centuries and they have been ...
Psychedelics and Personality
ACS Chemical Neuroscience – June 04, 2018
Summary
Psychedelics like psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide, and ayahuasca are showing significant promise in treating mood and anxiety disorders. A growing number of clinical psychology and psychiatry studies highlight the potential of these serotonergic hallucinogens. Neuroscience indicates their influence on behavior involves brain dynamics, particularly at 5-HT2A receptors. While the mechanisms of these drug studies are still being understood, these compounds, often derived from chemical synthesis and alkaloids, represent a hopeful avenue for mental health. Their impact on psychology is transforming treatment paradigms.
Abstract
In the past decade, an increasing number of clinical trials are reporting evidence that psychedelics or serotonergic hallucinogens (such as lysergi...
“Ayahuasca turned on my mind’s eye”: Enhanced visual imagery after ayahuasca intake in a man with “blind imagination” (aphantasia)
Journal of Psychedelic Studies – July 25, 2018
Summary
A man with lifelong aphantasia, unable to form a mental image, experienced sustained visual imagery improvements after a single dose of the hallucinogen Ayahuasca. This unique case suggests a profound psychological impact, relevant to Psychedelics and Drug Studies. Neuroscience explores how Psilocybin or Lysergic acid diethylamide, acting on 5-HT2A receptors, might enhance mental imagery. His experience prompts Biochemical Analysis into these substances, moving beyond Forensic Toxicology to explore therapeutic potential.
Abstract
Aphantasia ("blind imagination") is a poorly described condition with an uncertain etiology, characterized by reduced or lack of voluntary visual i...
The Analysis of Hallucinogenic Drugs from Plants and Fungi
OpenAlex – May 14, 2025
Summary
Precise identification of potent hallucinogens, many plant-derived alkaloids with roots in traditional medicine and inspiring art, is crucial. Advanced biochemical analysis techniques characterize psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin, DMT, and mescaline. Sophisticated methods, including fluorescence detection in HPLC and NMR for complex chemical synthesis products, ensure high selectivity. Furthermore, DNA analysis provides definitive identification for fungal drugs, even when biological samples lack morphological features, advancing drug studies.
Abstract
This chapter introduces drugs derived from plants and fungi including lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin (from ‘magic mushrooms’), N,N-di...
The Acceptance/Avoidance-Promoting Experiences Questionnaire (APEQ): A theory-based approach to psychedelic drugs’ effects on psychological flexibility
Journal of Psychopharmacology – March 01, 2022
Summary
The interplay between acceptance and experiential avoidance during psychedelic experiences profoundly shapes psychological flexibility. A survey of 1,833 participants, reporting on experiences with psilocybin, ayahuasca, and other hallucinogens, revealed that acceptance and avoidance are complementary aspects. Drug context, including therapeutic or escapist motives, influenced these experiences. Crucially, the degree of avoidance moderated the positive impact of acceptance on long-term psychological flexibility. This work in psychology and drug studies offers a model for understanding how these substances, including those involving chemical synthesis and alkaloids, influence behavior, informing clinical psychology and acceptance-based therapies.
Abstract
Background: Many benefits and some harms associated with psychedelic use could be attributable to these drugs’ acceptance/avoidance-promoting effec...
Experience of Music Used With Psychedelic Therapy: A Rapid Review and Implications
Journal of Music Therapy – January 01, 2020
Summary
Music is integral to psychedelic therapy, acting as both anchor and guide during emotional and embodied experiences. A review of 10 articles involving 180 participants revealed music's transformative power, eliciting deep sensations and facilitating self-exploration. In Psychedelics and Drug Studies, compounds like psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (from chemical synthesis and alkaloids) are paired with music. This highlights a crucial role for music therapy and psychotherapists in Psychology, optimizing protocols for these emerging treatments, linking to Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies. Participant openness to music improved outcomes.
Abstract
Abstract Bonny Method of Guided Imagery and Music emerged following discontinuation of psychedelic therapy research in the early 1970s, but psyched...
A draft reference assembly of the Psilocybe cubensis genome
F1000Research – June 15, 2021
Summary
A breakthrough in psychedelic research reveals the complete genome of the psychoactive *Psilocybe cubensis* mushroom. Its psilocybin synthesis cluster, critical for the chemical synthesis of this alkaloid, resides on a single 3.2Mb contig. This 46.6Mb genome, assembled into 32 contigs, offers a 97.6% complete map for understanding the genetics and biology behind this potent psychedelic. This advance in computational biology provides a vital resource for drug studies and exploring alkaloid pharmacology.
Abstract
We describe the use of high-fidelity single molecule sequencing to assemble the genome of the psychoactive Psilocybe cubensis mushroom. The genome ...
Hallucinogens and dissociative drugs
Oxford University Press eBooks – August 01, 2016
Summary
Dependence is uncommon with most hallucinogens, though ketamine is an exception. This Addiction Medicine chapter details a wide array of psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD, alongside dissociative drugs such as PCP. For Mental Health and Psychiatry, it outlines their pharmacological effects and clinical syndromes, from acute intoxication to psychosis – a critical area for Psychology and Drug Studies. Flashbacks are a characteristic feature. Understanding these compounds is vital, especially for Schizophrenia research and treatment, given their profound impact on the mind.
Abstract
Abstract Chapter 15 of Addiction Medicine covers hallucinogens and dissociative drugs. Hallucinogens are a large and diverse group of substances, s...
The Occurrence of Tryptamine Derivatives in Psilocybe semilanceata
Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C – August 01, 1988
Summary
Hallucinogenic mushrooms contain widely varying amounts of psychoactive compounds. Analysis of 52 Swiss *Psilocybe semilanceata* mushroom samples, using chromatography, revealed their complex tryptamine chemistry. The alkaloid psilocybin ranged from 0.21-2.02%, with baeocystin at 0.05-0.77%. Such variability in these psychedelics is crucial for drug studies and understanding chemical synthesis of alkaloids. This knowledge of mushroom chemistry also informs broader fungal identification, important for distinguishing species, including those where specific treatments like Silymarin are used for poisoning.
Abstract
The content of tryptamine derivatives in Psilocybe semilanceata, a popular hallucinogenic mushroom, was measured by high-performance liquid chromat...
A Qualitative Study of Intention and Impact of Ayahuasca Use by Westerners
OpenAlex – April 01, 2021
Summary
Ayahuasca experiences offer profound benefits for mental health and spirituality. Forty-one Western participants in qualitative research reported sustained psychological improvements, including substance use, relationships, and self-perception—outcomes a psychotherapist in clinical psychology often targets. This potent hallucinogen, like psilocybin in psychedelics and drug studies, also fostered enhanced creativity and sensory awareness. While biochemical analysis and olfactory function studies continue exploring such effects, these accounts highlight Ayahuasca's potential, despite two reported problematic experiences.
Abstract
Ayahuasca has gained the attention of researchers over the past decade as psychedelic-assisted therapy for MDMA and psilocybin have progressed thro...
Effects of Ayahuasca on the Recognition of Facial Expressions of Emotions in Naive Healthy Volunteers
Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology – April 13, 2021
Summary
Despite prior evidence that other psychedelics like psilocybin can alter emotional processing, a drug study with 22 healthy volunteers revealed Ayahuasca, a potent hallucinogen, did not change facial emotion recognition compared to a placebo. While participants reported well-being and visual effects, some experienced transient anxiety. Tolerability was acceptable, despite common nausea. This finding in psychology and pharmacology, considering the biochemical analysis of alkaloid stability, suggests Ayahuasca’s unique neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior may differ from other medicines, requiring further exploration in drug studies.
Abstract
Abstract Background The recognition of emotions in facial expressions (REFE) is a core aspect of social cognition. Previous studies with the seroto...
BOOTLEGGED ECSTASY
JAMA – March 07, 1964
Summary
Quiet scientific endeavors exploring Lysergic acid diethylamide and Psilocybin for their potential in Psychiatry haven't yielded medical breakthroughs for psychoses. Instead, these potent hallucinogens have created societal issues. A lack of appropriate publicity has led to widespread misuse, offering personal gratification, pleasure, and a false sense of ecstasy. This unintended consequence underscores complex ethical considerations for psychotherapists and other professionals when examining such compounds, distinct from established treatments like Pimozide.
Abstract
For several years, quietly and without publicity, several scientists have been studying the behavioral pharmacology of lysergic acid diethylamide (...
Serotonin Heteroreceptor Complexes and Their Integration of Signals in Neurons and Astroglia—Relevance for Mental Diseases
Cells – July 27, 2021
Summary
Novel heteroreceptor complexes reveal a fundamental biological principle for brain signal integration, profoundly impacting neuroscience and mental health. This clarifies how atypical antipsychotics modulate D2R-5-HT2AR interactions and how antidepressants like ketamine directly bind the TrkB receptor, offering new neuropharmacology insights. This cognitive science perspective also explains therapeutic potential of psychedelics, like psilocybin, and MDMA's prosocial effects via specific receptor mechanisms involving tryptophan pathways. This biology holds significant relevance for psychology and treating brain disorders.
Abstract
The heteroreceptor complexes present a novel biological principle for signal integration. These complexes and their allosteric receptor–receptor in...