Pain reports
April 1, 2024
Ryan S Wexler, Devon J Fox, Danielle Zuzero et al.
6 citations
A virtual 8-week mindfulness-based program (MORE) reduced daily pain intensity in people with lumbosacral radiculopathy (sciatica) compared with usual care, but did not improve disability, depression, or quality of life. Participants in the mindfulness group also reported greater increases in mindful reinterpretation of pain and trait mindfulness. The authors suggest that fear-avoidance behaviors may explain why pain relief did not translate into reduced disability in this long-duration chronic pain sample.
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
February 12, 2026
Matthew Hicks, Olivia Hicks, Ryan Bradley et al.
2 citations
Group psilocybin therapy is feasible for low-income adults with depression in Oregon's regulated psilocybin program. In an open-label study, 20 participants began treatment and 19 completed two psilocybin administration sessions one week apart, with preparation and integration sessions online. No severe adverse events occurred; participants rated satisfaction 4.8 out of 5, reporting moderate to high benefit and no harm. Exploratory outcomes showed a significant decrease in Hamilton Depression scores with a strong effect size (Cohen's d = 1.89), and all eight domains of the PROMIS-29 significantly improved with effect sizes from 0.667 to 1.774. Further research with comparator groups is warranted.
Journal of psychoactive drugs
January 7, 2025
Matthew R Hicks, Heather Zwickey, Ryan Bradley
2 citations
A 43-year-old man seeking treatment for alcoholism and depression was diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. Over three years, a series of low-dose ketamine therapy sessions combined with integrative approaches led to resolution of severe alcoholism, a reduction in violent thoughts, and decreased depression symptoms. The case suggests that, with additional precautions, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy can produce clinical improvements in depression, alcohol abuse, and antisocial personality traits.
Journal of restorative medicine
January 1, 2025
Payton Follestad, Patricia Filbin, Brice Thompson et al.
A 35-year-old woman with prior psychedelic experience took Ayahuasca and Huachuma (San Pedro cactus) in separate ceremonies. Both medicines sharply reduced her depression scores (Ayahuasca: from 18 to 6; Huachuma: from 12 to 2 on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale) and increased her feelings of connectedness (Ayahuasca: from 62.3% to 95.37%; Huachuma: from 58.32% to 84.65% on the Watts Connectedness Scale). Stool samples showed that each medicine shifted the gut microbiome differently, but both reduced pro-inflammatory bacteria, normalized inflammation-linked species, and increased beneficial butyrate-producing bacteria. These microbial changes aligned with improved mood and reduced inflammation, suggesting that psychedelics may improve mental health partly through the microbiota-gut-brain axis.