Journal of Evolutionary Psychology
September 21, 2020
Emily Blatchford, Stephen Bright, Liam Engel
27 citations
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy shows promise for treating various psychological conditions, and increased empathic functioning may be one mechanism behind its clinical effects. Neuropsychological and clinical evidence suggests that psychedelics can enhance empathy through actions on the 5-HT system, default mode network, neural connectivity, and ego dissolution. These changes in empathy are likely linked to well-documented increases in the personality trait of openness following psychedelic use. Enhanced empathic function may have clinical benefits by fostering greater social connectedness and promoting prosocial attitudes and behaviors.
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
August 19, 2023
Liam Engel, Monica J. Barratt, Jason Ferris et al.
7 citations
Among 284 people who used mescaline in the past year, 20% had consumed wild-harvested Peyote. Those who preferred Peyote most often cited indigenous cultural traditions (57.8%), availability (40.0%), and environmental sustainability (33.3%) as motivations. San Pedro was the most common mescaline source (56.1%), and those who preferred it cited availability (54.7%), potency (45.3%), and indigenous cultural traditions (44.2%). Price and potency were significantly more important for San Pedro preferrers. Fewer than 7% of San Pedro users had consumed it from native habitats. The findings suggest that promoting cultivated San Pedro could reduce unsustainable wild Peyote consumption.
Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology
June 7, 2025
Simon A Beck, Caine Barlow, Liam Engel et al.
4 citations
A survey of 392 people who consumed psilocybin-containing mushrooms found that 42.1% reported experiencing temporary muscle weakness, a condition called wood-lover paralysis (WLP). Onset typically occurred within 4 hours of ingestion, primarily impairing mobility (80.4%), with some reporting difficulty swallowing (26.7%) and breathing (16.6%). Symptoms persisted into the next day for 48.1% of those affected, and 21.5% experienced a fall or accident. WLP occurred across different preparation methods and growth conditions, with no significant associations with age, gender, health status, or allergies. The results suggest WLP is an under-recognized adverse outcome from certain lignicolous Psilocybe species, warranting further research and awareness for harm reduction.
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
July 17, 2024
Liam Engel, Sascha Thal, Stephen Bright et al.
4 citations
Analysis of 660 posts from online psychedelic forums (The Shroomery and DMT Nexus) about trip sitting revealed that psychedelics discussed include 5-MeO-DMT, ayahuasca, changa, LSA, LSD, and psilocybin. For well-researched substances like LSD and psilocybin, the common dosages determined by a Delphi-style expert panel aligned closely with those used in clinical studies. Many posts indicated that psychedelic care was seen as unnecessary or optional, especially for LSD and LSA, while 5-MeO-DMT was strongly associated with a perceived need for care. Greater psychedelic purity and dosage intensity correlated with a perceived need for care. Oral administration, the most common route, showed lower dosage intensity.