Frontiers in Psychiatry
December 6, 2024
Jonathan Brett, Elizabeth Knock, Kathy Watson et al.
7 citations
A daily methamphetamine user, a 36-year-old transwoman, achieved sustained abstinence and improved mental health after a single session of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy following inpatient withdrawal management. She reported increased self-esteem, mindfulness, and distress tolerance over three months. The case suggests that psilocybin-assisted therapy may offer a scalable, safe, and effective approach for treating methamphetamine dependence, though further research is needed to confirm generalizability.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
November 21, 2023
Peter Wipf, Nikhil R. Tasker, Ethan J. Pazur
7 citations
Clavine alkaloids, a subclass of ergot alkaloids found widely in nature, have potent physiological effects but remain understudied compared to well-known psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin. This review summarizes their biological properties, compares their pharmacology to ergolines and related psychedelics, and highlights opportunities for developing new structure–activity relationship profiles. Such advances could expand the currently limited structural variety of psychedelic therapeutics, opening new avenues for medicinal chemistry.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
June 30, 2023
Colleen E. Charlton, Povilas Karvelis, Roger S. McIntyre et al.
7 citations
Suicide claims over 700,000 lives each year. Ketamine shows promise for treating suicidal thoughts and behaviors, but how it works is not fully understood. Computational psychiatry offers a framework to explore the dynamic interactions behind suicidality and ketamine's therapeutic action. This paper reviews current computational theories of suicidality and ketamine's mechanism, discussing modeling approaches that explain ketamine's anti-suicidal effect. It examines ketamine's potential through mismatch negativity and predictive coding, considering neurocircuits for learning and decision-making, and altered connectivity and receptor densities. Theory-driven models can integrate existing knowledge and extract parameters to identify patient subgroups and personalize treatment. Future studies should optimize task design and evaluate set, setting, and psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
October 31, 2023
Albino J. Oliveira-Maia, Benoit Rive, Joachim Morrens et al.
6 citations
An adjusted indirect comparison of treatment strategies for treatment-resistant depression found that esketamine nasal spray plus an antidepressant led to a higher probability of response (49.7%) and remission (33.6%) at six months compared with real-world polypharmacy strategies (26.8% response, 19.4% remission). Esketamine was about 1.86 times as likely to produce a response and 1.74 times as likely to produce remission. Threshold and sensitivity analyses indicated these results were robust to potential unmeasured confounders.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
October 16, 2023
Eline Haijen, Petra P. M. Hurks, Kim P. C. Kuypers
6 citations
Adults with ADHD who microdosed psychedelics for four weeks showed increased trait mindfulness—specifically the ability to describe and not judge inner experiences—and decreased neuroticism, while other personality traits like conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and openness remained unchanged. These changes occurred regardless of whether participants also used conventional ADHD medication or had other mental health diagnoses. The findings suggest that microdosing may alter otherwise stable psychological traits in this population, though placebo-controlled studies are needed to confirm the effects.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
October 9, 2023
A. Zavaliangos-Petropulu, Shawn M. Mcclintock, S. Joshi et al.
6 citations
In patients with treatment-resistant depression, smaller hippocampal subfield volumes (left CA4 and GC-ML-DG) were observed before ketamine treatment compared to healthy controls. Four ketamine infusions over two weeks did not change hippocampal subfield volumes, and pre-treatment volumes did not predict improvement in depressive symptoms. However, smaller pre-treatment left CA4 and GC-ML-DG volumes were associated with greater improvement in processing speed after ketamine, and larger right CA3 volume was linked to better working memory at follow-up. Baseline hippocampal subfield volumes may serve as biomarkers for cognitive, but not antidepressant, response to ketamine.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
June 29, 2023
Winston De La Haye, Geoffrey Walcott, Jordan Eaton et al.
6 citations
Psilocybin and other psychedelics have shown efficacy in treating several mental illnesses, including treatment-resistant cases, through clinical trials. In psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, these substances enhance psychotherapeutic processes. Psychohistoriographic Brief Therapy, developed in Jamaica, has successfully treated personality disorders by documenting life experiences in a psychohistoriogram. The De La Haye psilocybin Treatment Protocol combines micro-doses of psilocybin mushrooms over eight weeks with this documentation, followed by a supervised larger dose in the ninth week. Given Jamaica's legal status for psilocybin, a regulated industry could support rigorous clinical research and benefit clients in this new psychiatric frontier.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
June 9, 2022
H. Bringmann, Martin Bogdanski, G. Seifert et al.
6 citations
A meditation and yoga program (Meditation-Based Lifestyle Modification, MBLM) improved heart rate variability (HRV) in outpatients with mild to moderate depression compared with standard clinical care. In an exploratory randomized trial, MBLM participants (22 people) showed gains in vagal tone (RMSSD) and symbolic dynamics entropy, while a minimal-treatment group (17 people on drugs only) showed almost no changes. The findings suggest that MBLM may benefit selected HRV parameters, but further 24-hour monitoring is needed to confirm long-term effects.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
August 4, 2025
Fernando Mora, J. Ramos-Quiroga, Enrique Baca-García et al.
5 citations
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) occurs when a patient fails to respond to at least two adequate antidepressant trials, and it imposes a greater social and economic burden than non-resistant depression. A committee of ten Spanish psychiatrists reviewed recent literature and developed consensus statements on TRD definitions, clinical response criteria, and the role of intranasal esketamine, which improves neuroplasticity and synaptogenesis. They highlighted therapeutic inertia—its causes and consequences—and produced a treatment algorithm that includes specific response evaluation steps to avoid inertia and ensure adequate treatment. This is the first Spanish consensus on theoretical aspects of TRD and intranasal esketamine's place in therapy.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
June 24, 2024
Grant M. Jones, Jocelyn A. Ricard, Matthew K. Nock
5 citations
Hypertension disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities. Using National Survey on Drug Use and Health data (2005–2014), the authors examined whether race and ethnicity modify the association between psilocybin use and past-year hypertension. Hispanic identity moderated this association. Non-Hispanic White individuals who used psilocybin had 17% lower odds of hypertension (adjusted odds ratio: 0.83), but no such protective association appeared for other racial or ethnic groups. The results indicate that the relationship between psychedelics and hypertension may differ by race and ethnicity, warranting further longitudinal and clinical research.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
October 3, 2022
Jordi Camarasa, Pol Puigseslloses, Edurne Urquizu et al.
5 citations
Conventional psychiatric drugs often fail due to limited efficacy, slow onset, or side effects. Psychoactive substances, historically used for spiritual and recreational purposes, have shown therapeutic potential for disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder and treatment-resistant depression when administered under medical supervision with psychotherapy. Drugs such as MDMA, ketamine, psilocybin, and LSD have yielded successful clinical outcomes. New psychoactive substances (NPS), including synthetic cathinones and tryptamines, despite their illicit use, expand the library of potential treatments, as many were originally synthesized for therapeutic aims. This review examines the evidence and properties needed for NPS to become viable therapeutic compounds.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
January 21, 2022
Melina Wiedmann, Sören Kuitunen-Paul, Lukas A. Basedow et al.
5 citations
Among adolescent psychiatry outpatients with substance use disorder, attenuated psychotic symptoms were linked to MDMA (ecstasy) use and trauma history, but not to cannabis use. In a sample of 46 adolescents, 35% reported using MDMA in addition to cannabis. Statistical analysis showed that MDMA use and trauma history were each associated with more psychotic-like symptoms, while cannabis use, gender, and birth complications were not. The authors suggest that cannabis may increase psychosis risk only after longer use or when combined with other factors like trauma. Clinicians should screen for psychotic symptoms in adolescents who use both MDMA and cannabis.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
October 30, 2024
Jisu Park, Taejung Kim, Han-Tsung Min et al.
4 citations
Psilocybin, a psychoactive substance, shows high therapeutic potential in psychiatry. This review examines its chemical properties, mechanisms of action, and clinical applications for treating mental health disorders, supported by accumulating evidence. Clinical trials indicate psilocybin is safe with manageable side effects, but additional safety measures such as dosing protocols, patient monitoring, and distress management strategies are needed. The work aims to deepen understanding of psilocybin's clinical impact and proposes future research directions for its integration into mainstream psychiatric treatments.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
April 18, 2024
Gina Micciche, Andrew McMillan, Emily Coughlin et al.
4 citations
A survey of 31 patients with incurable illnesses found that 51.6% expressed interest in future psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAT). Belief that psilocybin could help with stress and anxiety was linked to interest. Patients voiced concerns about risk of psychosis, lack of trained providers, and potential for exploitation—the latter being a novel finding in this population. No demographic factors or levels of existential distress were associated with interest.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
June 21, 2023
Lily A. L. Martin, David Melchert, Monika Knack et al.
4 citations
Motor abnormalities and basic self-disorders are both considered potential endophenotypes of schizophrenia, but their relationship is rarely studied directly. Using data-driven gait markers previously identified in schizophrenia patients, this work links those movement markers to measures of basic self-disorder from EASE interviews. Quantitative correlations were supported by qualitative content analysis of four patients' interviews. Results indicate an association between movement markers and self-disorders, particularly in cognition, self-experience, and bodily experiences. Although individual movement marker scores did not precisely match patients' descriptions of anomalous self- and body experience, higher marker scores trended with more intense descriptions of specific experiences like hyperreflexivity. The findings support an integrated view of the patient and may inform therapeutic approaches targeting self- and body-experience in schizophrenia.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
April 14, 2023
Jennifer L. Jones
4 citations
A nationwide survey of 918 people with alcohol or substance use disorders found that most support medical research on MDMA (68.1%), believe MDMA-assisted therapy could be useful (70.1%), and would be willing to try it if appropriate (58.8%). Support for research and belief in effectiveness did not differ by race or ethnicity, but small disparities appeared in willingness to try MDMA-assisted therapy and concerns about its use. The findings highlight the need for equitable access and diverse participation as psychedelic-assisted therapy develops.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
December 22, 2022
Wei Zheng, Xin-Hu Yang, Li-Mei Gu et al.
4 citations
After six intravenous injections of 0.5 mg/kg ketamine, both patients with melancholic depression (30 individuals) and those with non-melancholic depression (105 individuals) showed similar improvement in anhedonic symptoms. The antianhedonic response rate was 43.3% in the melancholic group versus 50.5% in the non-melancholic group, a difference that was not statistically significant. Remission rates were also similar: 20.0% and 21.0%, respectively. By day 26, the melancholic group had significantly lower anhedonia scores on the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale compared to the non-melancholic group. Ketamine appears equally effective for reducing anhedonia in both melancholic and non-melancholic depression.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
December 10, 2025
T. H. W. Ching, B. Stahnke, S. Shnayder et al.
3 citations
In a qualitative study of the first randomized placebo-controlled trial of psilocybin for treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), interviews with 12 participants revealed four major themes: influences on the psilocybin experience (set and setting), acute effects (perceptual, metacognitive, emotional, and impact on OCD), post-dosing changes in OCD symptoms and perceptions, and post-dosing changes beyond OCD symptoms. Acute effects were often lower in intensity, possibly due to interference by OCD symptoms. Some acute and post-dosing effects mapped onto mechanisms of evidence-based psychotherapies like exposure and response prevention and acceptance and commitment therapy, suggesting potential for integrating psilocybin with structured psychotherapy for OCD.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
September 22, 2025
Shannon Dames, Pamela Kryskow, Vivian W. L. Tsang et al.
3 citations
RTT-KaT is a structured, scalable, evidence-informed, and culturally responsive model that bridges clinical safety with both Western and Indigenous knowledge systems. A longitudinal follow-up study is currently underway to evaluate its long-term impact and guide future implementations.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
August 6, 2025
Grace Blest‐hopley, Giuseppe Pasculli, Simon Ruffell et al.
3 citations
Veterans with traumatic brain injuries who participated in psilocybin retreats showed improvements in PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms four weeks afterward. PTSD scores decreased by 50%, depression scores by 65%, and anxiety scores by 28%. Electroencephalography measurements revealed decreased delta and theta brainwave power in frontal and temporal regions, along with enhanced coherence in alpha and beta bands, suggesting improved cognitive control, emotional processing, and neural communication. The preliminary findings provide a rationale for larger controlled studies.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
July 16, 2024
André Do, Vanessa Michaud, Jean-François Stephan et al.
3 citations
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) may be safe when given alongside certain serotoninergic antidepressants, and stopping those antidepressants before treatment might not be required. In an adult with difficult-to-treat depression who took duloxetine and vortioxetine, a first PAP session with both drugs produced a partial response. After he discontinued duloxetine but kept vortioxetine, his anxiety and depression worsened. Psilocybin was well tolerated in both sessions; mild headaches were the main adverse effect, with no cardiovascular concerns. This single case suggests that combining psilocybin with serotoninergic antidepressants appears safe and that antidepressant discontinuation prior to PAP may be unnecessary, potentially improving treatment accessibility.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
May 10, 2024
Qin Xiang Ng, Yu Liang Lim, Clarence Ong et al.
3 citations
Public attitudes toward ketamine for depression shifted notably after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's 2019 approval. Analyzing 18,899 unique tweets from individual users between 2010 and 2023 revealed three main themes: changing regulations, cautious optimism, and personal experiences. Cautious optimism decreased over time, while personal accounts increasingly highlighted benefits for some treatment-resistant patients. The overall perception is hopeful about ketamine's therapeutic potential.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
May 13, 2026
2 citations
In the first year of Oregon's regulated psilocybin program, 5,935 clients participated in 5,375 sessions. Utilization peaked in the second quarter before stabilizing. About a third of participants lived outside Oregon. The largest age group was 35–49; women and LGBTQ+ individuals were well represented, but racial diversity was limited, with White participants making up 84–92% quarterly and African American participation at 2.1%. Adverse events were rare, with behavioral and medical rates of 2.42 and 2.79 per 1,000 sessions. The program serves as both a wellness modality and an alternative for mental health distress, though racial disparities and socioeconomic barriers persist.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
September 20, 2023
Taylor Black
2 citations
Psychedelic-assisted treatment for mental health is advancing, with psilocybin and MDMA nearing FDA approval and some US jurisdictions decriminalizing psilocybin. However, neither FDA indications nor regulated use models adequately address addiction treatment, especially when compounded by disability and social dispossession. Addiction increasingly burdens informal care networks, public safety, and healthcare systems, while stigma and mistreatment alienate people from care and raise costs. To maximize population health benefits, regulatory, clinical, and payment systems must support research, safety monitoring, and implementation that reduce barriers for those bearing these costs. A collaborative approach, rooted in mutual support and accountable to public institutions, is needed to equitably disseminate these therapies, learning from ancient traditions of ritualized sacramental use.
Frontiers in Psychiatry
July 11, 2023
Gniewko Więckiewicz, Iga Stokłosa, Maciej Stokłosa et al.
2 citations
More than half of adults with ADHD continue to experience symptoms, and undiagnosed individuals often use psychoactive substances to cope. In an online survey of 438 adults diagnosed with ADHD, the most commonly used stimulants were alcohol, marijuana, MDMA, amphetamine/methamphetamine, and psilocybin; methylphenidate was the most frequently used drug among patients. After treatment with psychostimulants, most respondents, especially males, reported a decrease in hyperactivity symptoms. The authors conclude that clinicians should actively screen for ADHD in patients who use psychoactive substances.