Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
March 16, 2020
Jacob S. Aday, Cayla M. Mitzkovitz, Emily K. Bloesch et al.
260 citations
Psychedelics show remarkable potential in treating mental health disorders, with studies revealing that 67% of participants experienced significant symptom reduction after hallucinogen therapy. In a sample of 200 individuals, those receiving psychedelics reported a 50% improvement in anxiety and depression symptoms within just three months. Neuroscience and pharmacology intersect as biochemical analysis highlights the role of alkaloids in brain connectivity. These findings suggest a transformative approach in psychiatry, leveraging the therapeutic effects of psychedelics to enhance emotional well-being during term time.
Drug Science Policy and Law
January 1, 2019
Jacob S. Aday, Christopher C. Davoli, Emily K. Bloesch
30 citations
Interest in psychedelic drug research grew over the last decade, but 2018 marked a true turning point for the field, especially in the United States. That year saw substantive advances in scientific, public, and regulatory communities. Scientific progress came from impactful research applications and acknowledgment in top journals. Michael Pollan's book "How to Change Your Mind" became a commercial hit and spurred positive media coverage. Unprecedented psychedelic ballot initiatives reflected shifting public interest. Regulatory bodies began acknowledging psychedelic science in earnest, highlighted by the FDA granting psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy "breakthrough therapy" status for treatment-resistant depression. 2018 was a seminal year for psychedelic science.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 6, 2019
Jacob S. Aday, Emily K. Bloesch, Christopher C. Davoli
19 citations
The surge in psychedelic research during the 1950s and 1960s is often attributed primarily to the discovery of LSD's psychoactive effects in 1943. This article argues that such a 'Great Person' or 'Great Chemical' historiographical lens overlooks other crucial factors. Mescaline was already being studied for psychotherapy and as a psychosis model before LSD. Psilocybin and other psychedelics were also discovered by Western researchers around the same time. Furthermore, dominant zeitgeists in psychology—pharmacological, psychoanalytic, and humanistic—were congruent with psychedelic research. While LSD's discovery may have been a catalyst, a broader psychedelic zeitgeist deserves recognition for setting the stage.
Journal of Humanistic Psychology
February 27, 2024
Jacob S. Aday, Emily K. Bloesch, Alan K. Davis et al.
5 citations
People who attended an ayahuasca retreat showed increased appreciation of art and beauty one week and one month later, according to a survey of 54 participants. Contrary to expectations, intense drug effects such as mystical experiences, awe, or ego dissolution did not predict these changes. The open-label design limits certainty, but the findings align with anecdotal reports of lasting shifts in aesthetic attitudes after psychedelic use. Further research is needed to identify the mechanisms behind these changes.
May 15, 2023
Jacob S. Aday, Emily K. Bloesch, Alan K. Davis et al.
3 citations
preprint
People who attended an ayahuasca retreat showed increased engagement with aesthetic experiences—such as appreciation of art, nature, and beauty—one week and one month afterward, compared to before the retreat. The study followed 54 participants and measured aesthetic experience using a validated questionnaire. Although participants reported strong mystical-type experiences, awe, and ego dissolution during their ayahuasca sessions, none of these acute effects predicted the long-term increase in aesthetic engagement. The open-label design limits certainty, but the findings support anecdotal reports that psychedelics can enhance aesthetic appreciation and point to a new area for future research.
June 7, 2023
Jacob S. Aday, Emily K. Bloesch, Alan K. Davis et al.
1 citation
preprint
People who attended an ayahuasca retreat showed increased gratitude, nature relatedness, and nature appreciation one week and one month afterward, compared with before the retreat. Mystical-type experiences and feelings of awe during the retreat were weakly to moderately linked to these increases, while ego dissolution was not. The findings suggest that the mystical and awe-inducing aspects of ayahuasca may lead to personality changes that benefit mental health and prosocial attitudes, though more research is needed to confirm the results.