Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
March 21, 2021
Daniel Perkins, Jerome Sarris, Susan L. Rossell et al.
53 citations
Psychedelic substances such as psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD, and MDMA are gaining renewed medical interest due to the need for new psychiatric treatments and promising study results. This viewpoint reflects on the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists' Clinical Memorandum on Psychedelics and notes regulatory developments, including applications for down-scheduling and access approvals. The authors argue that rigorous research is needed to assess benefits, safety, and therapeutic mechanisms. They summarize recent findings on mechanisms of action and the psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy model, suggesting medicinal psychedelics could become a new class of psychiatric treatments when used under medical supervision with psychotherapeutic support. However, sufficiently powered trials and safety protocols are required before clinical use, and untrained practitioner access could be harmful.
Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
November 22, 2019
Sally Meikle, Paul Liknaitzky, Susan L. Rossell et al.
19 citations
Psilocybin, a psychedelic drug, is gaining attention as a potential treatment for depression due to its mechanism of action, benefits in early trials, and relatively low side effect burden. This viewpoint outlines key unresolved issues for its clinical use: identifying which patients are most likely to benefit or experience adverse effects, understanding longer-term outcomes, and clarifying the role of psychotherapeutic support alongside the drug. There are also opportunities to better understand the neurobiology underlying its effects.
Syst Rev
May 5, 2022
Lauren Johansen, Paul Liknaitzky, Maja Nedeljkovic et al.
9 citations
This systematic review will collect and summarize studies on the psychological processes that may explain how psychedelic therapy helps treat depression. The review will search four databases for research involving classic psychedelics in adults with depression, focusing on studies that report or propose psychological mechanisms behind symptom improvement. Two reviewers will independently screen and assess the studies, then synthesize findings separately for empirical and non-empirical work. Because this is a new field, the review expects to find limited empirical research and variation among studies. The goal is to map the current evidence, identify gaps, and suggest variables for future investigation.
BMJ open
May 1, 2024
Ben Beaglehole, Richard Porter, Katie Douglas et al.
5 citations
A randomized controlled trial will test the feasibility of adding behavioral activation therapy (BAT) to oral ketamine for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder. The study aims to recruit 60 adults aged 18–65 years, randomizing them to eight weeks of oral ketamine with BAT or oral ketamine alone. Feasibility will be measured by attendance, acceptability, and retention. The primary efficacy outcome is the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, assessed weekly during treatment and fortnightly during 12 weeks of follow-up. For a definitive trial to be recommended, the study must meet recruitment targets and show a greater than 20% reduction in relapse rates favoring the combined treatment arm.
Front Psychiatry
September 28, 2023
Lauren Johansen, Paul Liknaitzky, Maja Nedeljkovic et al.
5 citations
Experts in psychedelic-assisted therapy agree that the treatment works for depression through a combination of psychological, neurobiological, and contextual mechanisms, with the therapeutic relationship and set and setting playing crucial roles. The Delphi study gathered consensus among specialists, who emphasized that the drug-induced experience alone is insufficient; integration sessions and a supportive environment are essential for lasting improvement. Practical implications include the need for trained therapists, careful screening of patients, and structured protocols. The findings suggest that psychedelic-assisted therapy requires a holistic approach rather than focusing solely on pharmacological effects.
Brain Behav
November 1, 2025
Jake Payne, Oliver Robinson, Kevin O. St. Arnaud et al.
3 citations
Classic psychedelics may produce lasting positive effects on mood, cognition, and personality, but how these effects vary by age is unclear. Emerging adulthood (ages 18-29) is a critical developmental period marked by transition to independence and common psychedelic experimentation. This integrative review proposes a framework for how psychedelic use could positively influence development during this stage, including changes in personality trait openness, belief systems, self-insight, and social concern. The authors outline pathways for orthogenetic, veridical-epistemic, eudaimonic, relational, and ethical developmental trajectories. They also identify future research directions and key challenges for studying psychedelics' developmental impact in emerging adulthood.
SSRN Electronic Journal
January 1, 2026
Jake Payne, Arthur Pont, Jacob S. Aday et al.
Men who used classic psychedelics during emerging adulthood (ages 18–29) and later reflected on those experiences reported six categories of positive developmental impact: increased psychological reflection and insight, life changes, recovery from mental health problems and addictions, improved relationships with others, greater existential awareness, and increased wellbeing and connection with emotions. The findings suggest that for some men, psychedelic experiences are interpreted as important life events that intersect with identity development, responsibility, and engagement with developmentally salient tasks. The study highlights the value of developmental perspectives in psychedelic research and points to the need for longitudinal research.