A century of research on psychedelics: A scientometric analysis on trends and knowledge maps of hallucinogens, entactogens, entheogens and dissociative drugs.
European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology November 1, 2022 Marco Solmi, Chaomei Chen, Charles Daure et al. 55 citations
Over the past century, clinical research on psychedelics has evolved from an early focus on safety into a 'psychedelic renaissance' after the 1990s. A scientometric analysis of 31,687 documents from the Web of Science identified major research themes: hallucinogens/entheogens, entactogens, novel psychoactive substances (NPS), and dissociative substances. The field has shifted from basic science to clinical applications, including phase 2 and 3 trials and evidence synthesis. Recent trends include NPS, ketamine-associated brain changes, and ayahuasca-assisted psychotherapy. The USA and Canada lead in productivity, reflecting legislative influences. This translational evolution has already led to esketamine approval for depression and may lead to further approvals across mental and physical conditions. Toxicology screening tools for NPS are urgently needed and may follow a similar path.