Skip to content

Theresa M. Carbonaro

Johns Hopkins Medicine

8 papers in the library · 1,003 citations · publishing 2014-2022

Papers

Survey study of challenging experiences after ingesting psilocybin mushrooms: Acute and enduring positive and negative consequences

Journal of Psychopharmacology August 31, 2016 Theresa M. Carbonaro, Matthew P. Bradstreet, Frederick S. Barrett et al. 541 citations

In a survey of 1,993 people who recalled their worst 'bad trip' after taking psilocybin mushrooms, 39% ranked it among the top five most challenging experiences of their lives. Eleven percent put themselves or others at risk of physical harm, with factors such as higher dose, longer duration, and lack of physical comfort or social support increasing that risk. About 2.6% acted aggressively and 2.7% needed medical help. Among those whose experience was more than a year prior, 7.6% sought treatment for lasting psychological symptoms, with three cases linked to enduring psychotic symptoms and three to attempted suicide. Despite difficulties, 84% reported benefiting from the experience. The incidence of risky behavior or lasting distress is very low when psilocybin is given in controlled laboratory settings.

Optimal dosing for psilocybin pharmacotherapy: Considering weight-adjusted and fixed dosing approaches

Journal of Psychopharmacology February 20, 2021 Albert Garcia‐romeu, Frederick S. Barrett, Theresa M. Carbonaro et al. 101 citations

Psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic, shows promise for treating mood and substance use disorders when given in structured settings. Most trials have adjusted the dose by body weight, but fixed dosing is simpler and cheaper. Analyzing data from ten previous studies (total 288 participants) that used weight-adjusted doses of 20 or 30 mg per 70 kg, or a fixed dose approximating 25 mg, no significant associations emerged between body weight or sex and the subjective effects (mystical, challenging, or intensity). Across body weights from 49 to 113 kg, body weight did not affect psilocybin's subjective effects, suggesting fixed dosing is as effective and more practical than weight-adjusted dosing.

Human Cortical Serotonin 2A Receptor Occupancy by Psilocybin Measured Using [11C]MDL 100,907 Dynamic PET and a Resting-State fMRI-Based Brain Parcellation

Frontiers in Neuroergonomics January 20, 2022 Yun Zhou, Frederick S. Barrett, Theresa M. Carbonaro et al. 17 citations

A psychoactive dose of psilocybin (10 mg/70 kg) occupied an average of 39.5% of serotonin 2A receptors in the brains of four healthy volunteers, as measured by PET imaging. The highest occupancy occurred in regions of the default mode network, including the subgenual anterior cingulate and bilateral angular gyri, with values between 63.12% and 74.72%. Individual variability in regional occupancy was marked. These findings support further research into how differences in receptor occupancy relate to psilocybin's acute and lasting effects.

Discriminative Stimulus Effects of Substituted Tryptamines in Rats

ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science December 29, 2020 Michael B. Gatch, Adam C. Hoch, Theresa M. Carbonaro 13 citations

Eight novel substituted tryptamines produced hallucinogen-like effects in rats trained to discriminate the hallucinogen DOM from saline. All compounds fully substituted for DOM, with potencies equal to or less than DOM. Four compounds—4-OH-MET, 4-OH-DET, 4-OH-DMT, and 4-AcO-DMT—reduced response rates at fully substituting doses. Because these compounds mimic DOM's discriminative stimulus effects, they may carry similar abuse liability. 4-Acetoxy substituted compounds were less potent than 4-hydroxy ones, and N,N-diisopropyl compounds were less potent than those with dimethyl, diethyl, N-methyl-N-ethyl, or N-methyl-N-isopropyl groups.