Frontiers in psychiatry
January 1, 2022
Charles L Raison, Rakesh Jain, Andrew D Penn et al.
75 citations
In a large online survey of 2,510 adults who had used psychedelics at least once, psychedelic use was linked to significant improvements in depression, anxiety, and emotional well-being. The benefits grew with more use but showed a ceiling effect; even a single use was associated with improvements. No single psychedelic agent proved clearly superior, but increases in mystical experiences and prosocial perspective-taking were tied to better mental health. However, 13% of participants (330 people) reported at least one harm from psychedelic use, and those individuals experienced less mental health benefit. The findings suggest that naturalistic psychedelic use may offer mental health benefits similar to those in clinical trials, while also posing some risk of harm for a minority.
CNS drugs
November 1, 2024
Roger S. McIntyre, Rakesh Jain
58 citations
Glutamate signaling has emerged as a promising target for treating major depressive disorder (MDD), a chronic condition where standard monoamine antidepressants often have delayed effects and low remission rates. This narrative review describes how glutamate dysregulation is linked to depression, based on preclinical evidence and the rapid improvement seen with ketamine in a proof-of-concept trial. While many NMDA-targeted therapies have been investigated in phase 2 or 3 trials, most were discontinued. However, two glutamate-targeted antidepressants are now FDA-approved: nasal esketamine (Spravato) for treatment-resistant depression and MDD with suicidal ideation, and oral dextromethorphan-bupropion (Auvelity) for MDD in adults. These approvals highlight glutamate's role and offer new treatment options.
Psychedelic medicine (New Rochelle, N.Y.)
September 1, 2023
Zachary Herrmann, Adam W Levin, Steven P Cole et al.
9 citations
Among 228 healthcare providers who treat psychiatric disorders with medications and reported at least one lifetime psychedelic use, retrospective measures showed improvements in depression, anxiety, and well-being after psychedelic exposure. Suicidality decreased and resilience increased. A factor analysis indicated that a cluster of mystical, interpersonal, and personal experiences predicted these improvements. The preferred psychedelic agent did not affect outcomes, and frequency of use was not associated with outcomes, though effect sizes varied. Harm was reported by 13.2% (n = 30), consistent with general population rates. Pre-exposure alcohol use, aggressive impulses, and desire to die by suicide improved most often, while marijuana use most often worsened or did not change.
Preventive medicine reports
August 1, 2025
Pedro J Teixeira, Rakesh Jain, Andrew D Penn et al.
1 citation
A survey of 2,510 U.S. adults who had used psychedelics at least once found that most reported lasting improvements in health behaviors after their experiences. Specifically, 66% reduced alcohol use, 49% cut tobacco use, 49% improved their diet, and 48–72% reported fewer impulsive behaviors. People who used psychedelics more often or microdosed were especially likely to report these positive changes. Although some participants experienced harms, the majority perceived lasting benefits. The findings suggest that psychedelic use may be linked to broad behavioral shifts in areas like diet and substance use, not just mental health.