Psychopharmacology
December 11, 2023
Haley Maria Dourron, Charles D Nichols, Otto Simonsson et al.
23 citations
5-MeO-DMT, a tryptamine being developed as an antidepressant, may work through a mechanism distinct from typical psychedelics. This review compares the acute and post-acute effects of 5-MeO-DMT to epileptiform activity, particularly in temporal lobe epileptogenic zones. The authors note that 5-MeO-DMT has notable 5-HT1A receptor agonist properties and that aberrant 5-HT1A receptor functioning occurs in epilepsy. They suggest that 5-MeO-DMT's therapeutic mechanism might be partly mediated by evoking temporary epileptiform activity, similar to electroconvulsive therapy. The phenomenon of 'reactivations'—sudden re-experiencing of drug effects common after 5-MeO-DMT but not typical psychedelics—may indicate recurrent epileptiform activity. The review concludes that further evaluation of 5-MeO-DMT's unique mechanisms is warranted.
Psychedelic medicine (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
June 1, 2025
Haley Maria Dourron, Melissa Bradley, Otto Simonsson et al.
7 citations
Greater lifetime psychedelic use was not associated with psychotic symptoms in a cross-sectional survey of 548 adults, even among those with a personal or family history of psychotic or bipolar disorders. In unadjusted analyses, more psychedelic use was linked to less referential thinking, but this association disappeared after adjusting for covariates. A personal history of psychotic disorders was tied to moderately greater magical ideation, referential thinking, and auditory hallucinations, while family history of psychotic disorders related to slightly greater negative symptoms. Notably, among individuals with a personal history of psychotic disorder, auditory hallucinations were less severe as psychedelic use increased, with no such relationship in those without that history. Naturalistic psychedelic use may not heighten psychosis risks.
JAMA Network Open
May 7, 2026
Peter S. Hendricks, Sara Lappan, Richard C. Shelton et al.
4 citations
A single 25 mg dose of psilocybin, combined with psychotherapy, led to a higher percentage of cocaine-abstinent days, a greater likelihood of complete abstinence, and a longer time before the first cocaine lapse over 180 days compared with an active placebo (100 mg diphenhydramine) in a randomized, quadruple-blind trial. Among 40 participants with cocaine use disorder, 33 were men, 33 were Black, and most had low income. Psilocybin appeared safe, with no serious adverse events, and may offer a treatment for cocaine use disorder in underrepresented populations.
The Journal of rural health : official journal of the American Rural Health Association and the National Rural Health Care Association
January 1, 2025
Melissa Bradley, Daniel Grossman, Otto Simonsson et al.
1 citation
Rural residents in the United States are 1.2 to 1.4 times more likely than urban residents to perceive using LSD once or twice as of great risk, based on national survey data from 2015 to 2021. The perception of monthly cannabis use as having great risk was slightly higher among rural residents only until 2019, with no significant differences in 2020 and 2021. These rural-urban differences in risk perception could influence policymaking on psychedelic therapies and highlight the need for equitable policies.