J Psychopharmacol
February 28, 2019
David Erritzøe, James Smith, Patrick M Fisher et al.
95 citations
People who use psychedelics recreationally tend to score higher on the personality trait openness, which involves being open-minded, curious, and receptive to new experiences. This study examined whether this link might be explained by differences in the brain's serotonin system, a key chemical system affected by psychedelics. Using brain imaging, the researchers measured serotonin markers in recreational users and non-users. The findings suggest that higher openness in psychedelic users is not directly tied to these serotonin markers, indicating that other factors may underlie the personality differences.
Emerging Minds Journal for Student Research
January 25, 2026
Rishika Scott, James Smith
A systematic review and meta-analysis of seven studies (five open-label and two randomized controlled trials) found that a single 25 mg dose of psilocybin per clinical session is effective for treatment-resistant depression. The 25 mg dose significantly reduced depressive severity compared to 10 mg and 1 mg doses, with two-dose studies showing greater benefit than single-dose studies. The evidence suggests psilocybin is a promising therapeutic, though more research is needed due to limitations in the available studies.
Molecular Informatics
January 17, 2019
James W. Firman, Samuel J. Belfield, George Chen et al.
A growing number of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) are entering circulation, yet their pharmacological profiles and risks are often unknown. To aid prediction of properties for uncharacterized analogues, a chemical inventory of 690 distinct NPS with defined structures was compiled from governmental and analytical reports, supplemented by 155 established psychoactive drugs of abuse (EPDA). Classification by molecular features, subjective effects, and pharmacological mechanisms identified over forty chemical groupings, seven effect categories, and six mechanisms. Co-occurrence of NPS and EPDA within classes was common, highlighting potential for chemical read-across and derivation of structural alerts.