Anesthesiology
December 1, 2022
T. Andrew Bowdle, Nathan Sackett, Rick Strassman et al.
5 citations
The authors argue that the term "dissociative" is outdated and imprecise for describing the subjective effects of ketamine and related drugs. Originally coined in 1966 to describe feelings of being in outer space or lacking limbs, the term does not capture the full range of psychedelic experiences measured by modern rating scales like the Bowdle Visual Analogue Scale and Hallucinogen Rating Scale. The authors suggest that drugs such as phencyclidine, dextromethorphan, salvinorin A, and nitrous oxide—often grouped as "dissociative anesthetics"—produce subjective effects that are not identical to each other and can resemble those of classic psychedelics like dimethyltryptamine or psilocybin. They recommend describing these drugs primarily by their mechanism of action, such as "the NMDA antagonist ketamine," rather than by the term dissociative.
Psychedelic medicine (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
September 1, 2024
Crystal Lederhos Smith, Nathan Sackett, Brian Connor Stark et al.
4 citations
Underground psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy providers described their protocols and perspectives in interviews analyzed through qualitative content analysis. Four themes emerged: personal experiences and self-healing motivated sharing and promoting positive effects of psychedelics as altruism; guides articulated consistent yet flexible processes; guides believed client benefit came from clients' own intrinsic ability to heal; and guides expressed dissonance about legalization, desiring increased access and decreased risk but also concerned about potential negative impacts on provider flexibility and depersonalization from standardization. The findings aim to inform research and policy as psychedelic use expands in the United States.
IUCrData
September 7, 2023
Duyen N. K. Pham, Nathan Sackett, A.r. Chadeayne et al.
1 citation
The crystal structure of a salt formed from a protonated tryptammonium derivative and fumarate was determined using X-ray diffraction. The asymmetric unit contains one singly protonated tryptammonium cation, half of a fumarate dianion, and half of a fumaric acid molecule. In the crystal, these ions and molecules link into infinite chains along the [001] direction through N—H...O and O—H...O hydrogen bonds.
Psychedelics
May 14, 2026
Joseph la Torre, Jade Gallo, Matteo Buonaroti et al.
People with histories of psychotic symptoms who used psychedelics in naturalistic settings reported both benefits and harms. Benefits included personal growth, insight, increased spirituality, and symptom reappraisal. Challenging experiences and adverse effects also occurred, especially when set and setting were unfavorable. The findings question the categorical exclusion of this population from psychedelic research and therapy, and call for more holistic, ethically guided study of psychedelic-assisted therapy for this underserved group.
Journal of addiction medicine
January 15, 2026
Dale Terasaki, Nathan Sackett, Andrew Monte
Ibogaine, a psychedelic substance, is attracting interest as a potential treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), with many states funding research. Some proponents frame ibogaine as an alternative to standard, mortality-reducing medications for OUD (MOUD), rather than as a complement. The path to remission varies, but switching from methadone or buprenorphine to an unproven therapy like ibogaine could increase the risk of opioid overdose for some individuals. The addiction medicine community should be aware of this risk and continue to defend evidence-based care while ibogaine is developed.
Research Square
November 5, 2025
Joseph la Torre, Step Cheung, Ariana Kam et al.
In a study with 236 participants, the largest sample to date, researchers asked open-ended questions to people in an ibogaine-assisted treatment program in Mexico. Common themes emerged: emotional amplification, life review, perceptual and sensory changes, visionary states, and a sense that ibogaine has its own character or agency. The findings provide a detailed, empirically grounded portrait of ibogaine's subjective effects and show its capacity to evoke structured, meaningful, and potentially transformative states of consciousness. The study's strengths include its large sample, rapid data collection, a safe clinical setting, careful participant preparation, and open-ended questions that captured the full range of experiences.