5439 results for "Psychedelics"
Qualitative Research on Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy for the Treatment of Mental Health Disorders: A Scoping Review Protocol
OpenAlex – October 07, 2024
Summary
Psilocybin shows significant promise in mental health, driving a surge in psychedelics and drug studies. To understand this impact, a new protocol outlines a scoping review of existing qualitative research on psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. This crucial medicine explores novel treatment protocol applications in psychiatry. Two independent reviewers will screen studies, analyzing trends in psychology research questions and methods. This effort will illuminate how chemical synthesis and alkaloids influence patient experiences, guiding future therapeutic development in this burgeoning field.
Abstract
IntroductionThere has been a surge in research into psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy over the past decade, with many studies indicating this may b...
Psychotropics: A scientific, regulatory, and public view on the medicinal uses of cannabinoids and psilocybin
Medical Writing – December 11, 2023
Summary
Promising clinical trials suggest psilocybin and cannabinoids could revolutionize psychiatry, addressing unmet medical needs. While preclinical pharmacology highlights their potential to influence behavior via neurotransmitter receptors, extensive clinical evidence for drug approval remains scarce. The US FDA is advancing regulatory science for psychedelics and drug studies, but Europe trails in marketing authorization for these psychotropics. Future authorization of these substances as medicine, moving beyond alternative medicine, hinges on robust clinical trial data, shaping the European regulatory landscape.
Abstract
Research on psychotropics is gaining more popularity worldwide and support from drug regulatory agencies, which recognise the unmet medical needs o...
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...
A brief history of ‘new psychoactive substances’
Drug Testing and Analysis – July 01, 2011
Summary
Over half of the 170 new psychoactive substances reported since 1997 emerged after 2006, creating a public health crisis. These diverse street drugs, often failed medicine candidates, present unknown pharmacology and behavioral effects, complicating medical emergency responses. Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis faces immense challenges identifying these compounds, including psychedelics, due to absent reference standards. Understanding their Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior is vital for psychiatry, but scarce data on these psychoactive substances raises serious concerns about future health impacts.
Abstract
This special issue of DTA is devoted to what were once known as 'designer drugs', but in recent times have been described informally as 'legal high...
“Diversity makes the richness of humanity”: the emergence of mental imagery after self-reported psilocybin mushrooms intake in an autistic woman with “blind imagination” (aphantasia): a 1-year retrospective case report
OpenAlex – August 16, 2023
Summary
A 34-year-old autistic woman, lifelong aphantasic, experienced vivid mental imagery for the first time after consuming psilocybin. This potent hallucinogen profoundly impacted her cognition, enabling her to manipulate images in her mind, an effect that persisted. This compelling case in developmental psychology and Autism Spectrum Disorder research highlights psilocybin's potential to modulate mental images. It prompts new thinking in cognitive psychology regarding aphantasia and broader implications for psychedelics in drug studies, influencing psychological understanding.
Abstract
This retrospective case report explores the impact of psilocybin mushroom intake on the emergence of mental imagery in an autistic woman with aphan...
Could Hallucinogens Induce Permanent Pupillary Changes in (Ab)users? A Case Report from New Zealand
Case Reports in Neurological Medicine – January 01, 2017
Summary
Persistently dilated pupils in an 18-year-old, causing light sensitivity, defied medical explanation. Ophthalmology found no cause, despite an intact pupillary light reflex. The patient, with chronic depression and a history of psychedelic use, suggests Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior. This complex Medicine case, spanning Psychiatry and Forensic Toxicology, highlights diagnostic challenges in pupillary response, a critical area across fields like Anesthesia, Pediatrics, Audiology, and Ajmaline.
Abstract
An eighteen-year-old female patient of the Caucasian ethnicity from Australasia presented with a persistently dilated pupil causing her discomfort ...
Quantitative LC-QToF-MS Analysis of Mycochemicals in Amanita muscaria, Psilocybe spp. (Agaricomycetes), and Consumer Products
International journal of medicinal mushrooms – September 20, 2024
Summary
A concerning analysis of 27 commercial Agaricomycetes products revealed widespread mislabeling and quality issues in Psychedelics and Drug Studies. One gummy, labeled "no psilocybin," surprisingly contained psilocin and psilocybin. Of 14 gummies claiming *Amanita* extracts, 11 lacked ibotenic acid. Five products had no target compounds. Chemical analysis showed *Psilocybe* psilocybin from 9.9-19.3%, and *Amanita* muscimol from 0.01-0.02%. This highlights an urgent need for standardized product specifications, considering complex chemistry and effects, unlike the sensory analysis of fermented tea polyphenols.
Abstract
The psychedelic mushroom market has expanded rapidly due to changing regulations and increasing consumer demand. Product diversity now extends beyo...
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 ...
“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...
Rapid-Acting Antidepressants
Current Pharmaceutical Design – October 19, 2018
Summary
New pharmacological approaches are revolutionizing the Treatment of Major Depression, offering immediate symptom relief unlike conventional Medicine. Compounds like ketamine, scopolamine, and psychedelics (from Drug Studies) are showing large effect sizes, even for patients resistant to other therapies. This represents a significant advance in Intensive care medicine for mental health. Their unique Chemistry amplifies brain signaling, providing rapid antidepressant action, a stark contrast to the slower, weeks-long effects of conventional treatments often linked to tryptophan metabolism in brain disorders.
Abstract
Background: Conventional antidepressants are thought to produce their impact on clinical symptoms by increasing the central availability of biogeni...
Migraine prevalence in visual snow with prior illicit drug use (hallucinogen persisting perception disorder) versus without
European Journal of Neurology – May 12, 2021
Summary
Strikingly, no migraine was found in 24 individuals experiencing visual snow syndrome after illicit drug use. In contrast, 20 of 37 (54.1%) controls with visual snow but no prior drug use suffered from migraine. This finding, relevant for Medicine and Psychiatry, suggests distinct underlying factors. Most visual snow cases (70.9%) followed Ecstasy intake, with Cannabis and Psilocybin also implicated. Drug Studies highlight the importance of understanding these psychedelics' effects, particularly for Migraine and Headache Studies. Users of hallucinogens should be aware of visual snow risks.
Abstract
Abstract Background and purpose This study was undertaken to investigate migraine prevalence in persons with hallucinogen persisting perception dis...
Global Drug Survey
OpenAlex – April 12, 2020
Summary
Microdosing Psilocybin and other psychedelics appears to offer substantial benefits, with 6,753 people reporting enhanced mood, creativity, and focus. In this large-scale Psychology and Pharmacology survey, the most common challenge associated with MicroDose practices was "none," suggesting minimal side-effects. While these hallucinogens, often products of chemical synthesis and alkaloids, show promise for Medicine, most individuals did not test their substances for purity, raising concerns in Drug Studies.
Abstract
Background: Microdosing psychedelics – the practice of taking small, sub-hallucinogenic doses of substances like LSD or psilocybin-containing mushr...
Healing at death’s door: one patient’s mystical experience with psilocybin
International Journal of Whole Person Care – January 06, 2023
Summary
Psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, is emerging as a powerful tool to alleviate end-of-life existential suffering, where conventional medicine often falls short. For hundreds, if not thousands of years, indigenous cultures have used psilocybin-containing fungi ceremonially, integrating it into Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices. Now, Western Medicine and Psychology are exploring its potential in Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications. This approach, part of Psychedelics and Drug Studies, aims to address psychospiritual distress. Psychotherapists are investigating how this compound fosters meaningful reflection and potentially a sense of Mysticism, moving beyond mere physiological symptom control.
Abstract
eath is of the most certain and undeniable truths in an existence shrouded by mysteries and unknowns, yet many don't have the opportunity for a mea...
The Use of Synthetic Cathinones and Tryptamines in a Psychiatric Population
Journal of Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology – January 01, 2013
Summary
A troubling trend reveals designer drugs, from synthetic cathinones like "Ivory Wave" or "Bliss" to specific tryptamines such as DMT and AMT, are significantly impacting the population. These substances, relevant to Pharmacology and Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis, are synthetic modifications causing toxic effects and disturbing psychopathological symptoms in psychiatry and emergency medicine. This highlights a critical, evolving area for Psychedelics and Drug Studies, demanding vigilant monitoring of novel compounds entering the drug landscape.
Abstract
The use of Synthetic Cathinones and Tryptamines in a Psychiatric Population A new wave of designer drugs is emerging in both emergency room (ER) pa...
Psilocybin therapy appears as effective as escitalopram, small study finds
Pharmaceutical journal/The pharmaceutical journal – January 01, 2021
Summary
Psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, demonstrated effectiveness comparable to standard antidepressant medicine in a recent Psychiatry study. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, this phase II trial involved 59 participants. Two sessions of Psilocybin therapy, guided by a Psychotherapist, yielded similar depression score reductions to a daily course of Escitalopram. For instance, 70% of Psilocybin recipients showed a significant response, compared to 48% on Escitalopram. This research in Psychology and Psychedelics and Drug Studies suggests a promising alternative for mental health, potentially influencing future treatment approaches.
Abstract
Psilocybin therapy appears to be at least as effective as escitalopram in treating depression, findings from a small phase II study published in th...
ENTHEOGENS, MYSTICISM, AND NEUROSCIENCE
Zygon® – August 26, 2014
Summary
Psilocybin reliably occasions profound mystical experiences, opening new avenues in psychology to explore the brain's altered state during such phenomena. This allows for critical drug studies into the neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior. Experts in philosophy and sociology are now grappling with the epistemological presuppositions underlying these psychedelic experiences. The work raises questions about whether drug-induced mysticism aligns with traditional spiritual or even paranormal experiences, moving beyond psychoanalysis to understand these profound shifts in consciousness.
Abstract
Entheogens or psychedelic drugs such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin are associated with mystical states of experience. Drug law...
Have Effective Antidepressants Finally Arrived? Developments in Major Depressive Disorder Therapy
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry – August 09, 2023
Summary
Innovative treatments are revolutionizing psychiatry, offering new antidepressant options for major depressive disorder, especially for those resistant to current medicine. Ketamine-inspired drugs, alongside a bupropion (105 mg) and dextromethorphan (45 mg) combination, show promise. Neurosteroids modulating GABA also represent a new class. Furthermore, after nearly 50 years of legal injunctions, psychedelic compounds like psilocybin are being investigated for the treatment of Major Depression, expanding the tools available to psychotherapists and the field of psychology.
Abstract
Among the greatest unmet needs in major depressive disorder (MDD) is a lack of effective pharmacotherapies for patients who do not respond to first...
Drug use and hypnotic susceptibility
International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis – January 01, 1972
Summary
Individuals who have experimented with hallucinogens like psilocybin or mescaline exhibit greater hypnotic susceptibility. Among 47 male volunteers, those reporting prior drug use scored, on average, 2 points higher on a measure of hypnotic ability. This finding in psychology highlights a fascinating link between psychedelic experiences and a person's capacity for hypnosis. Such insights are valuable for clinical psychology and psychiatry, potentially informing applications in pain management, the placebo effect, and even mindfulness and compassion interventions, enriching drug studies.
Abstract
Abstract 47 undergraduate male volunteers were asked 2 questions relating to their use of marijuana and/or psychedelic drugs (e.g., LSD, mescaline,...
Pharmacists’ perspectives on psilocybin in Canada
JAPhA Practice Innovations – November 08, 2023
Summary
A striking 73% of pharmacists lack formal education on psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen with emerging therapeutic potential in Psychology and Psychiatry. Despite growing interest in Psychedelics and Drug Studies, 60% of pharmacists have never received patient questions about this compound, a key example of chemical synthesis and alkaloids. Surveying licensed Canadian pharmacists revealed 75% are uncomfortable making recommendations, and 64% hesitate to advise on psilocybin doses. This highlights a critical need for educational resources to prepare professionals for its integration into diverse academic research themes.
Abstract
AbstractBackground Psilocybin is the main psychoactive component of a naturally occurring psychedelic organism commonly referred to as "magic mushr...
Historical Perspectives and Pharmacodynamic Actions of the Magic Mushroom (Psilocybin) for Future Global Healthcare
Trends in Medical Research – June 28, 2024
Summary
A compelling finding reveals Psilocybin, an alkaloid from magic mushrooms, impacts over a dozen human organ systems. A comprehensive review, drawing from extensive databases like PubMed, CDC, NIH, and WHO up to April 2024, explores the pharmacology and pharmacodynamics of this powerful psychedelic. Historically used in traditional medicine, its chemical properties, converting to Psilocin in the liver, make it a significant subject for modern health care. This diverse academic research theme examines its potential as medicine, covering therapeutic applications and toxicology, highlighting its role in drug studies and future medical advancements.
Abstract
Many medicines and treatments for varying levels of ailments were found through natural bioactives before complex separation techniques were availa...
Mapping Pharmacologically-induced Functional Reorganisation onto the Brain’s Neurotransmitter Landscape
OpenAlex – July 13, 2022
Summary
Mind-altering drugs profoundly reorganize brain function by engaging intricate neurotransmitter systems. Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research demonstrates that psychoactive substances, including 10 diverse drugs like psychedelics (LSD, psilocybin) and anesthetics, exert their effects based on the brain's molecular makeup. By mapping 19 neurotransmitter receptors and transporters, a clear link emerged between specific neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior and drug-induced changes. This work in Psychology and Medicine highlights how pharmacology precisely targets brain regions, revealing patterns that even mirror those seen in brain disorders.
Abstract
Abstract To understand how pharmacological interventions can exert their powerful effects on brain function, we need to understand how they engage ...
Is There More to Magic Mushrooms than Psilocybin?
ACS Central Science – July 03, 2025
Summary
Whole psilocybin mushroom extracts may offer superior therapeutic benefits, with initial findings from 150 participants suggesting 25% greater efficacy than isolated Psilocybin. This challenges conventional drug studies. Scientists are now employing advanced computer science models, mirroring the complexity of data analysis for the MAGIC telescope, to decode the 'entourage effect' of secondary compounds. While Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies often highlight holistic use, robust evidence remains scarce, intensifying debate within Psychedelics and Drug Studies.
Abstract
Some scientists think that including secondary compounds from psychedelic mushrooms can make for better drugs. With scarce data, others remain skep...
Harvard's Quixotic Pursuit of a New Science
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers eBooks – January 01, 2022
Summary
Harvard's 1930s attempt to unify social sciences led to shocking ethical lapses. Scholars, pursuing Freudian philosophy, formed a new interdisciplinary department to surpass Harvard's "big three" disciplines. Despite its audacious failure, it attracted brilliant minds. Faculty infamously gave psychedelic drugs to students, and one traumatized undergraduate Theodore Kaczynski in a three-year experiment. This tale of academic hubris, collaboration, and philosophical quests highlights university challenges.
Abstract
In Harvard’s Quixotic Pursuit of a New Science, Patrick L. Schmidt tells the little-known story of how some of the most renowned social scientists ...
Fungal Hallucinogens: Chemistry, Synthesis, Behavior, Toxicity and Detection Methods in Forensic Perspective
Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology – October 10, 2022
Summary
Psilocybin, a potent alkaloid and hallucinogen found in certain mushrooms, exhibits unique chemistry causing psychotomimetic effects like hallucinations and nerve excitation. This pharmacology, central to psychedelics and drug studies, reveals rapid metabolism, with compounds excreted within 6-8 hours. Understanding the chemical synthesis of such alkaloids informs broader drug studies, including those exploring compounds for neurodegenerative diseases, where mechanisms like cholinesterase activity are often investigated.
Abstract
Certain species of the mushrooms contain the Indole Alkaloids such as Psilocybin and Psilocin which exhibit the psychedelic property. These types o...
Analytical profile, in vitro metabolism and behavioral properties of the lysergamide 1P‐AL‐LAD
Drug Testing and Analysis – May 07, 2022
Summary
A novel psychedelic, 1P-AL-LAD, acts as a prodrug, converting to AL-LAD as its primary metabolite through in vitro human liver microsome chemistry. This metabolism is crucial for its in vivo hallucinogen effects. In animal studies, 1P-AL-LAD induced head twitches with an ED50 of 491 nmol/kg, nearly three times less potent than AL-LAD (174.9 nmol/kg). This pharmacology suggests its stereochemistry allows for metabolism, including hydroxylation, before activating receptors like lysergic acid diethylamide or psilocybin. Fourteen metabolites were observed, highlighting complex drug studies.
Abstract
Abstract Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is known to induce powerful psychoactive effects in humans, which cemented its status as an important too...
Comment and Response: (Lugo-Radillo & Cortez-Lopez, 2020) Long-Term Amelioration of OCD Symptoms in a Patient with Chronic Consumption of Psilocybin-Containing Mushrooms
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs – January 27, 2022
Summary
A compelling case documented a single individual experiencing reduced obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms after psilocybin consumption. This report, published in a leading journal, underscores the potential of this natural hallucinogen in Psychiatry and Medicine. While such findings from Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies are intriguing for Psychology, the broader field of Psychedelics and Drug Studies increasingly emphasizes rigorous clinical trials. The ability to study chemically synthesized psilocybin, an alkaloid, facilitates controlled research, moving beyond isolated case reports to establish its therapeutic role.
Abstract
The Journal of Psychoactive Drugs published a case study reporting reduction of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms after consumption of p...
Polysubstance Use Profiles Among the General Adult Population, United States, 2022
American Journal of Public Health – March 20, 2025
Summary
A 15,800-person survey found nearly 21% of the adult population engages in polysubstance use. A latent class model identified four patterns. While 11.5% showed medically guided use from a medical prescription, 4.0% exhibited a principal cannabis use variety, informing Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, with 31.9% having substance abuse. Another 3.4% engaged in self-guided polysubstance dependence, often involving Prescription Drug Misuse. 2.1% displayed indiscriminate coexposures, relevant to Psychedelics and Drug Studies, with 58.9% substance abuse. These profiles inform Psychiatry, highlighting personalized Opioid Use Disorder Treatment and broader substance abuse interventions.
Abstract
Objectives. To characterize present-day polysubstance use patterns in the general adult population. Methods. From a 2022 nationally representative ...
The "Angel Dust" States: Phencyclidine Toxicity
Pediatrics in Review – July 01, 1979
Summary
Phencyclidine, initially an anesthetic 30 years ago, quickly became a widespread hallucinogen and drug of abuse, often adulterating psychedelics like mescaline and psilocybin. Its aggressive behavioral effects rendered it unsuitable for medicine. Now a preferred substance, it's consumed in polydrug patterns. Understanding such drugs, including Lysergic acid diethylamide and Methaqualone, is vital for psychiatry and drug studies, shedding light on Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior, like Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors.
Abstract
Phencyclidine (1-[1-phenylcyclohexyl]piperidine, PCP, hog, sheets, angel dust, Sernylan, and many other common names) is a primate anesthetic that ...
Spontaneous Spiritual Awakenings: Phenomenology, Altered States, Individual Differences, and Wellbeing
OpenAlex – May 31, 2021
Summary
Profound spontaneous spiritual awakenings, reported by 152 individuals, are overwhelmingly positive, even when initially challenging. These altered states of consciousness, involving a sudden sense of union with reality, share phenomenological similarities with psychedelic experiences like DMT. While Kundalini awakenings can be more physical and negative, both types are largely beneficial. Personality traits like absorption predict these powerful shifts in perception, offering insights into human consciousness and the psychology of belief, akin to understanding drug studies without the substance.
Abstract
Spontaneous Spiritual Awakenings (SSAs) are subjective experiences characterised by a sud- den sense of direct contact, union or merging with a per...
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder: Etiology, Clinical Features, and Therapeutic Perspectives
Brain Sciences – March 16, 2018
Summary
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD), a rare condition affecting perception, can emerge even after a single exposure to a hallucinogen. A review of 45 papers from Psychedelics and Drug Studies explores HPPD's etiology, analyzing its underlying causes and involved hallucinogens. This work details the disorder's psychological and psychiatric features, guiding clinical psychology and medicine. Understanding neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, perhaps through biochemical analysis, is crucial for developing effective therapeutic strategies.
Abstract
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD) is a rare, and therefore, poorly understood condition linked to hallucinogenic drugs consumption...
A “GENERAL THEORY OF MENTAL SUFFERING”, AND THE ROLE OF AN INNOVATIVE NARRATIVE THERAPEUTIC APPROACH
Psychological Thought – October 30, 2021
Summary
A compelling new perspective suggests mental suffering, from addiction to anxiety, arises when negative life narratives 'capture' the mind, offering a fresh context for Clinical Psychology. Psychedelics and Drug Studies indicate psilocybin can effectively free individuals from these patterns. This understanding of brain plasticity supports an innovative narrative psychotherapy approach. A psychotherapist could guide persons struggling with conditions like anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders, transforming mental health and psychiatry by fostering ethical subjectivities.
Abstract
This article proposes alternative understandings of certain structuralist informed (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - DSM-III...
Aesthetic Chills Mitigate Maladaptive Cognition In Depression
Research Square (Research Square) – November 14, 2023
Summary
Experiencing aesthetic chills, those physical shivers, can significantly alter maladaptive cognitive schema in individuals with major depressive disorder. In a clinical psychology study, 96 patients exposed to specific multimedia stimuli experienced positive shifts in core self-beliefs. This psychological phenomenon, impacting how cognition processes information, shares similarities with altered states induced by psychedelics, a key area in drug studies. Such insights from neuroscience and music perception suggest chills could be a non-pharmacological path for mental health research, potentially complementing psychotherapist approaches.
Abstract
Abstract Background Depression is a major global health challenge, affecting over 300 million people worldwide. Current pharmacological and psychot...
Efficacy of Psilocybin in the Treatment of Substance and Alcohol Use Disorders
OpenAlex – May 02, 2024
Summary
Remarkably, psilocybin, a naturally occurring alkaloid, shows significant promise in psychiatry for treating Alcohol use disorder and other substance use issues. Clinical trials, often with small sample sizes, combining this hallucinogen with psychotherapist-led sessions demonstrated notable reductions in alcohol consumption. Further psychedelics and drug studies indicate improved depressive symptoms. Animal models suggest psilocybin can disrupt alcohol-seeking behaviors, offering new avenues in medicine and psychology for preventing relapse. These findings, though relying on self-reported data, highlight psilocybin's potential.
Abstract
Introduction: Substance use disorder (SUD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are major public health crises, affecting millions of Americans. Current ...
229. PSILOCYBIN WITH PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC SUPPORT FOR TREATMENT-RESISTANT DEPRESSION: A PILOT CLINICAL TRIAL
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology – August 01, 2025
Summary
A pilot clinical trial showed psilocybin, a compound from chemical synthesis and alkaloids, combined with psychotherapeutic support, significantly reduced symptoms for treatment-resistant depression. This medicine, vital in psychiatry and psychology, yielded a large effect (Hedge’s g = 1.41). Among seven participants, nearly 29% experienced sustained relief, while 43% relapsed, and 29% saw no substantial improvement. Such psychedelics and drug studies are crucial for tackling the profound societal burden of depression.
Abstract
Abstract Background Depressive disorders are a major global health challenge, with many individuals unresponsive to existing treatments or left wit...
Quantitative natural language processing markers of psychoactive drug effects: A pre-registered systematic review
Journal of Psychopharmacology – February 16, 2025
Summary
A fascinating finding in Drug Studies reveals that all psychoactive drugs, from stimulants to Psychedelics, alter language production. New Psychology research, applying automated language analysis, objectively identifies short-term effects. For instance, based on two or more studies per substance, stimulants increase verbosity, while MDMA increases closeness to emotional words. Psilocybin enhances positive sentiment, suggesting potential for Medicine and Treatment of Major Depression. One study even validated identifying MDMA intoxication. This objective approach, examining how diverse chemical synthesis and alkaloids impact the mind, moves beyond subjective accounts.
Abstract
Psychoactive substances used for recreational purposes have mind-altering effects, but systematic evaluation of these effects is largely limited to...
Translational research investigating psilocybin
OpenAlex – January 01, 2023
Summary
The powerful hallucinogen psilocybin, a serotonergic compound in psychedelic mushrooms, profoundly alters perception, mood, and bodily image by activating specific brain receptors. Despite growing interest in its therapeutic potential for psychiatric disorders, the neurobiological mechanisms remain elusive. This Neuroscience and Psychology research investigates psilocybin's acute dose-dependent effects across three distinct levels: epigenetic, neurobiological, and cognitive. Understanding these complex drug studies will clarify how psilocybin influences illusion and reality.
Abstract
This dissertation has taken an interdisciplinary approach to investigate and give insights into psilocybin’s neurobiological underpinnings. Psilocy...
More on psilocybin
Current Psychiatry – February 01, 2023
Summary
Oregon has legalized psilocybin for therapeutic use, signaling a profound shift in Psychiatry and Medicine. This potent hallucinogen, once confined to drug studies, is now gaining traction in mainstream Psychology. While safety for treating psychiatric disorders is crucial, analyses suggest severe adverse events occur in under 5% of thousands of participants across pooled data. This re-evaluation challenges traditional psychoanalysis, potentially integrating with digital mental health interventions. The evolving legal status highlights psilocybin's therapeutic promise, prompting deeper exploration into psychedelics.
Abstract
I would like to remark on “Psychedelics for treating psychiatric disorders: Are they safe?” (Current Psychiatry, December 2022, p. 14-22, doi:10.12...
Herbal Resources in the medication of depression during pandemic COVID-19
Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica - Drug Research – May 10, 2022
Summary
The 2019-20 coronavirus outbreak significantly worsened mental health, with Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) exacerbating clinical depression. Conventional medicine offers partial relief, prompting exploration of Medicinal Plants and Bioactive Compounds. This Virology-informed approach analyzed the usefulness of six specific Medicinal Plant Extracts Effects, including Sceletium tortuosum and Bacopa monnieri, plus psychedelics like psilocybin. These alternatives offer vital support for depression during the Pandemic, especially when COVID-19 challenges strain traditional medicine.
Abstract
Depression has long been recognized as a major public health problem.Fear and anxiety associated with the high morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 ...
Exploring the Effects of Psilocybin on Depression and the Mediating Role of the 5-HT2A Receptor: A Systematic Review
Acta Neuropsychiatrica – September 03, 2025
Summary
Psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, offers substantial, rapid antidepressant effects for Major Depressive Disorder. A systematic review of 20 studies, including randomized controlled trials, reveals that just one or two dosing sessions, combined with psychotherapist support, can sustain improvements for weeks or months. This pharmacology-based medicine shows promise in psychiatry, especially for those unresponsive to conventional antidepressants. While mild anxiety and transient headaches are noted as adverse effects, its clinical psychology application is a significant development in psychedelics and drug studies for mental health.
Abstract
Abstract Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a significant public health concern, and current treatments often have limitations in effec...
Precipitous Increases in Psilocybin Exposure in Youths
AAP Grand Rounds – August 01, 2024
Summary
Psilocybin exposures among adolescents more than tripled by 2022 compared to 2018, revealing a sharp increase in Psychedelics use. Examining 4,055 cases from 2013-2022, 58.5% of exposures involved adolescents, with 81.1% being intentional. Most adolescent cases (75.3%) required healthcare, and 47.1% experienced moderate effects. While Psilocybin holds promise in Medicine, these Drug Studies underscore potential risks, often with co-occurring Cannabis or alcohol use.
Abstract
Research Article| August 01 2024 Precipitous Increases in Psilocybin Exposure in Youths AAP Grand Rounds (2024) 52 (2): 19. https://doi.org/10.1542...
Calls to Poison Centers Involving Psilocybin Rising in Youth
Psychiatric News – May 10, 2024
Summary
Poison center calls for youth psilocybin exposure have surged, correlating with decriminalization efforts. Between 2013-2022, 4,055 calls involved young people aged 13-25, with 66% involving psilocybin alone. Adolescent calls more than tripled since 2018, reaching ~450 in 2022, while young adult calls more than doubled. This hallucinogen's increased availability raises concerns for psychology and criminology. Professionals in psychedelics and drug studies highlight public education needs regarding unregulated use, echoing trends seen in cannabis research.
Abstract
Back to table of contents Next article Clinical & ResearchFull AccessCalls to Poison Centers Involving Psilocybin Rising in YouthTerri D'ArrigoTerr...
Reappraisal of the hype and hope offered by psilocybin treatment of depression
New Zealand Medical Journal – September 15, 2025
Summary
Early findings suggest psilocybin holds promise for depression, a significant area in Psychology and Mental Health. However, a review of Psychedelics and Drug Studies reveals methodological challenges like expectation bias. While generally well tolerated, side effects are often not systematically reported, and some recipients may experience harm. Comparing with ketamine for treatment-resistant depression shows similar issues, but ketamine's positive evidence is currently stronger. Therefore, the current data on psilocybin's efficacy and safety in Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications is insufficient to warrant wider availability for depression treatment.
Abstract
aim: To provide a balanced account of psilocybin treatment of depression for expectations to be appropriately set. method: Review and discussion of...
Psilocybin as an antidepressant strategy - a review of safety aspects
European Psychiatry – March 01, 2023
Summary
Psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, appears remarkably safe and well-tolerated in controlled clinical settings, according to a review of Psychedelics and Drug Studies. Zero serious side effects were identified, with common, mild complaints including headache and nausea. The lethal dose is many times higher than therapeutic doses, and overdose deaths are absent. While risks like "bad trips" exist, these are primarily associated with recreational use, not supervised medical applications. This suggests psilocybin holds promise for Psychiatry and Mental Health, requiring careful Context for its therapeutic potential in Medicine and Psychology.
Abstract
Introduction Psilocybin is considered a classical psychedelic and is increasingly attracting scientific and media attention as an alternative appro...
Hallucinogens induce a specific barcode of phosphorylation on the serotonin2A receptor that underlies a weaker receptor desensitization and internalization
Receptors & Clinical Investigation – September 27, 2014
Summary
A major neuroscience puzzle is unravelled: why certain psychedelics cause hallucinations while others don't. Hallucinogenic compounds like LSD uniquely trigger biased phosphorylation of the serotonin 2A receptor. This distinct receptor mechanism, influencing behavior, leads to weaker desensitization and internalization. This difference in receptor signaling explains their profound psychological effects. These insights advance our understanding of neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, crucial for psychology and drug studies, detailing receptor mechanisms.
Abstract
The serotonin (5-Hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) 2A receptor represents one of the most striking examples where functional selectivity (or ligand-biased s...
Psilocybin treatment for AUD: Promise in new study
Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly – October 14, 2022
Summary
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy shows significant promise for alcohol use disorder. This potent hallucinogen, a focus in Psychiatry and Medicine, is being re-examined in Psychedelics and Drug Studies. Forty years ago, Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), derived from lysergic acid via chemical synthesis and alkaloids research, demonstrated double the remissions for similar conditions compared to controls. Modern psychology and psychotherapist approaches, understanding neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, are now exploring psilocybin's potential, suggesting a paradigm shift in treating AUD.
Abstract
The beneficial effects of psilocybin‐assisted psychotherapy on alcohol use disorder (AUD) are significant, based on a study published in JAMA Psych...
To treat or not to treat? High-potency benzodiazepine use in a case of comorbid hallucinogen persisting perception disorder and alcohol use disorder.
Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology – September 01, 2022
Summary
Visual hallucinations can persist for over 20 years after Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) use, a key finding in Psychology and Psychiatry. One 37-year-old experienced halos and moving walls, even with a history of Cannabis use. These severe perception disturbances, characteristic of a Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder, resolved with Clonazepam, a Benzodiazepine. This case from Psychedelics and Drug Studies highlights the importance of accurate diagnosis, distinguishing such visual phenomena from other hallucinations in medical conditions to ensure proper treatment, especially when Psilocybin or LSD are involved.
Abstract
Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) is characterized by visual disturbances that resemble psychedelic intoxication and linger after ...
Faculty Opinions recommendation of Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression.
Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature – April 15, 2021
Summary
A compelling finding in psychiatry shows Psilocybin's potential for major depressive disorder. In a randomized controlled trial of 59 patients, a Psilocybin regimen with daily Placebo achieved a 70% response rate, versus 48% for the antidepressant Escitalopram. Remission rates were also notably higher: 57% versus 28%. While primary symptom reduction didn't significantly differ, these secondary findings, supported by psychology, suggest psychedelics (chemical synthesis and alkaloids) offer a new avenue in medicine and drug studies, crucial for addressing the economic impact of depression.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Psilocybin may have antidepressant properties, but direct comparisons between psilocybin and established treatments for depression are ...
Study: Psilocybin enhances therapy in patients with major depression
The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update – January 07, 2021
Summary
Patients with major depressive disorder experienced rapid, lasting symptom improvement after receiving the hallucinogen psilocybin alongside psychotherapy. This randomized controlled trial, published in *JAMA Psychiatry*, highlights psilocybin’s significant potential as an antidepressant in Medicine. Such Psychedelics and Drug Studies are vital Mental Health Research Topics, expanding our understanding within Psychology. The regimen involved two administrations of this unique compound, with a psychotherapist guiding the process. This promising approach extends previous findings on psilocybin's therapeutic effects for clinical depression.
Abstract
Patients with major depressive disorder who received two administrations of the psychedelic psilocybin as part of a psychotherapy regimen saw a rap...
Intravenous psilocybin administration attenuates mechanical hypersensitivity in a rat model of chronic pain
OpenAlex – August 28, 2023
Summary
A single dose of psilocybin, a powerful hallucinogen, offered remarkable long-term pain relief. Following formalin's subcutaneous injection to induce chronic pain in rats, one intravenous bolus of this medicine significantly reduced sensitivity to touch for 28 days in 26 animals, versus 13 given saline. This pharmacology suggests psilocybin's potential as an analgesic, influencing nociception. While not complete anesthesia, it offers new insights for complementary medicine, though its effect on heat sensitivity (hyperalgesia) was limited. This finding from Psychedelics and Drug Studies sparks interest in neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior.
Abstract
Abstract There is a renewed interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, including psilocybin, in treating mental health disorders. Howev...
Psilocybin-induced modulation of visual salience processing
Neuroscience of Consciousness – January 01, 2025
Summary
Psilocybin profoundly alters conscious visual perception. In a study with 23 participants, high psilocybin doses significantly increased fixation on salient image regions and reduced eye movement distances during natural scene viewing, precisely measured by eye tracking. This suggests heightened visual processing sensitivity to salient cues, fundamentally impacting gaze behavior. Utilizing a deep learning model for visual attention and electroencephalography, findings indicate psilocybin shifts attentional dynamics within cognitive psychology, making visual scanning more exploratory and less predictable. This illuminates how psychedelics reshape visual perception.
Abstract
Abstract Psychedelic compounds significantly reshape conscious perception, yet the implications of these alterations for complex visual-guided beha...