Journal of affective disorders
February 1, 2023
Kwonmok Ko, Emma I Kopra, Anthony J Cleare et al.
144 citations
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 14 studies (7 randomized controlled trials) examined the effects of classic psychedelics (psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD) on depressive symptoms. The review found significant reductions in depressive symptoms at 1 day, 1 week, and 3-5 weeks after treatment with psychological support. Results at 6-8 weeks were less conclusive. Small sample sizes in most studies and lack of long-term follow-up data limited statistical power and interpretation. The findings suggest an association between psychedelic therapy and short-term symptom reduction, but more rigorous trials with larger, diverse samples are needed.
Journal of affective disorders
April 1, 2023
Nadav Liam Modlin, Tammy M Miller, James J Rucker et al.
30 citations
Psilocybin therapies show promise for conditions like major depressive disorder, end-of-life anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, little attention has been paid to intrapersonal and interpersonal factors that influence a patient's readiness for such interventions. This paper proposes that readiness assessment should include both intrapersonal and interpersonal factors to improve safety, patient care, and treatment outcomes. Although no reliable and valid instrument currently exists, the authors suggest three areas of focus—patient presentation, therapeutic alliance, and patient safety—to establish readiness and optimize and personalize psilocybin therapy.
Expert review of neurotherapeutics
January 1, 2022
Manaswini Pillai, Simon Erridge, Lara Bapir et al.
27 citations
Patients prescribed cannabis-based medicinal products for post-traumatic stress disorder showed significant improvements in PTSD symptoms, sleep, and anxiety at 1, 3, and 6 months, based on an analysis of 162 patients from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. Most patients (88.89%) had previously or currently used cannabis. Median daily doses were 5.00 mg of cannabidiol and 145.00 mg of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Adverse events occurred in 20.37% of patients, with 135.8% of the total events reported; most were mild or moderate, and insomnia and fatigue were most common. The findings suggest acceptability and safety up to 6 months, but randomized placebo-controlled trials are needed to confirm causality and optimal dosing.
Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment
January 1, 2023
Kwonmok Ko, Ben Carter, Anthony J Cleare et al.
26 citations
In psychedelic therapy, both mystical and challenging experiences may affect treatment outcomes, but what predicts their intensity is not well understood. Analyzing data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 89 healthy volunteers received a placebo, 10 mg, or 25 mg of psilocybin. Higher dosage strongly predicted greater intensity of both mystical and challenging experiences. Older age was linked to less intense challenging experiences. Personality traits showed little correlation, except that neuroticism correlated with more intense challenging experiences at the higher dose. Positive or negative mood before dosing did not predict experience intensity. The analysis was exploratory and post hoc.
Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment
January 1, 2024
Nadav Liam Modlin, Michael Creed, Maria Sarang et al.
18 citations
Patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often find standard psychotherapies burdensome and drop out. Psychedelic therapy (PT) shows promise for difficult-to-treat conditions, but trials of classical psychedelics for PTSD are lacking. This systematic review of 40 qualitative studies (26 on evidence-based psychotherapies for PTSD, 14 on PT for various conditions) found overlapping themes: both therapies involve key mechanisms of change, require psychological safety and readiness, and can burden patients. In PT, indirect trauma processing and reorganization of self-narratives emerged as unique themes. Trauma-informed care may improve safety and acceptability of PT research.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
May 30, 2022
Chaitra Jairaj, James J Rucker
13 citations
Postpartum depression (PPD) involves a core sense of maternal disconnection from self, infant, and support system, and differs from major depressive disorder (MDD), especially regarding the mother-infant relationship. Current PPD treatments, borrowed from MDD, show low remission rates and emerging treatment resistance. This narrative review proposes that serotonergic psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, could treat PPD by fostering reconnection. Evidence from MDD trials indicates psilocybin is safe and shows encouraging efficacy, catalyzing reconnection. In PPD, this reconnection might improve mood and maternal sensitivity, enhancing maternal role gratification and the mother-infant relationship. Psychedelic-assisted therapy for PPD warrants further examination.
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry
January 10, 2025
Emma I Kopra, Jenni Penttinen, James J Rucker et al.
9 citations
Between 1997 and 2022, only 28 deaths in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland involved psychedelic drugs, with 75% directly implicated and 25% potentially implicated. Most deaths were accidental (86%), involved multiple drugs (68%), and occurred in people under 30 (82%). The most common psychedelics were LSD (39%), psilocybin (21%), and NBOMes (18%). Polysubstance use was the most frequent contributing factor (82% of cases), followed by unsafe physical environments. While psychedelic-related deaths are very rare compared to other recreational drugs, their unpredictable effects create unique risks, often compounded by polydrug use.