Psychiatry Research
December 29, 2025
Omer A. Syed, Sean M. Nestor, M.ishrat Husain et al.
1 citation
Adverse event reports for classic psychedelics and MDMA in the WHO global pharmacovigilance database VigiBase show that most reports were for MDMA (1,573) and LSD (394), with fewer for psilocybin (56), DMT (18), and mescaline (15). The most common adverse events were psychiatric, particularly substance abuse and dependence. Overdose reports made up 1.1 to 1.7% of total adverse events. Pregnancy-related and congenital disorders were rare. Compared to acetaminophen, LSD and MDMA were associated with significantly greater odds of reported alcohol abuse, substance use disorder, and substance dependence, and these odds were also greater than those for oxycodone. This exploratory analysis provides a first look at real-world safety data, though findings are limited by potential underreporting and co-use of other substances.
CNS Drugs
July 1, 2026
Omer A. Syed, Valentyn Sobolenko, Sean M. Nestor et al.
Most demographic and clinical variables do not reliably predict who will benefit from ketamine or esketamine for treatment-resistant depression, though a few promising factors—such as early response to treatment and a family history of substance use disorders—warrant further study. This systematic review synthesized 122 studies involving 12,674 participants, finding that the majority of 77 examined predictor variables showed no association with antidepressant outcomes. The review included both unipolar and bipolar treatment-resistant depression, with most studies using intravenous ketamine at a fixed 0.5 mg/kg dose.
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
January 24, 2026
Omer A. Syed, Benjamin Tsang, Sean M. Nestor et al.
Psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) shows a large and significant antidepressant effect in treating major depressive disorder, based on a meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials involving 522 participants. Larger effects were associated with bodyweight-adjusted dosing, longer preparation, dosing, and integration sessions, and non-manualized psychotherapy, though subgroup differences were not statistically significant. The review provides preliminary guidance for clinicians designing PAT protocols.