Psychedelics
April 29, 2025
Ishan Pasricha, Caroline Peacock, Roman Palitsky et al.
3 citations
Spiritual health practitioners (healthcare chaplains) increasingly facilitate psychedelic-assisted therapy. A qualitative study of 15 such practitioners (60% female, average age 46.57) found two main themes: initial motivations and ongoing sources of meaning. Personal psychedelic experiences were a key initial motivator. Ongoing fulfillment came from witnessing healing in others and positive personal impacts of facilitating care. Personal experiences provide valuable firsthand knowledge of psychedelic phenomenology but may introduce bias. Training guidelines from the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, emphasizing self-literacy and reflection, may help address these risks. The authors introduce a reflective learning exercise based on these findings.
Psychedelics
January 8, 2026
Rachel Yehuda, Amy Lehrner, Miryam Sperka et al.
2 citations
The original manual for MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) for PTSD, developed by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), introduced concepts like “inner healing intelligence” from transpersonal traditions, which lacked clear grounding in trauma science and were difficult to standardize. In response, a new model called Integrative MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy (IMAP) is proposed. IMAP is a principle-guided, patient-driven approach rooted in humanistic and trauma-focused psychotherapy. It offers flexible, relationally attuned support for nonlinear therapeutic processes, drawing on contemporary PTSD theories and evidence-based trauma interventions while retaining experiential approaches. The model invites empirical study to determine essential therapeutic elements in psychedelic contexts.
Psychedelics
August 5, 2025
Elliot Marseille, Jennifer Mitchell
2 citations
A commentary on a cost-effectiveness analysis of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, published after the FDA declined to approve the treatment in 2024, identifies two key limitations that reduce its relevance for healthcare decision-makers. The analysis compared MDMA therapy to placebo-based therapy instead of standard-of-care treatments, and it used a pricing strategy of $36,000 for the three MDMA doses that threatens accessibility. Alternative modeling indicates that at a price of approximately $10,500, MDMA therapy could be extremely cost-effective, around $160 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY), or even cost-saving. Future research should incorporate realistic treatment comparators, comprehensive healthcare utilization data, and pricing models balancing economic viability with public health goals.
Psychedelics
April 10, 2024
Vivek Seelamneni
1 citation
Psychedelics may increase peripheral levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein involved in neural plasticity. A meta-analysis by Shafiee et al. found that psychedelics elevate BDNF levels, suggesting a possible mechanism for their therapeutic effects in psychiatric disorders. This commentary discusses two approaches to understanding psychedelic mechanisms: identifying novel pathways and examining effects on known neurobiological processes underlying psychiatric conditions. The findings support the idea that BDNF upregulation could contribute to the therapeutic benefits of psychedelics, though further research is needed to clarify the relationship.
Psychedelics
January 25, 2024
Katarina Leão
1 citation
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Psychedelics
July 1, 2026
Etienne Artru
The psychedelic renaissance has lasted longer than the first wave of research in the 1950s and 60s, yet fundamental questions about subjective experience and its role in therapy remain. This article revisits a neglected aspect of psychedelic phenomenology: birth or rebirth experiences, which were prominent before prohibition but have largely disappeared from contemporary discourse. Drawing on memory science, clinical data, and phenomenological analysis, the authors examine the hypothesis that some birth experiences reflect the emergence of implicit, affective, and sensorimotor traces rather than implausible episodic memories. These "body memories" are relived as present-moment experiences shaped by the therapeutic setting, suggesting many somatic phenomena may go unrecognized as memory-related. This hypothesis invites a broader reconsideration of somatic experiences in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, requiring a phenomenological and interpretive framework currently absent from research.
Psychedelics
July 1, 2026
Stacy Rush
Psychedelic-assisted interventions yield variable outcomes, partly because existing preparation and integration models overlook the role of internal guidance. This paper introduces the SIGNAL Model, which treats emotions as adaptive physiological signals that convey information about unmet needs, threats, values, and identity. The model proposes that psychological distress arises when these emotional signals are suppressed or misinterpreted, and that therapeutic gains depend on an individual's capacity to engage with these signals as organizing influences. Five testable hypotheses are offered to guide empirical research, and clinical implications include assessing emotional awareness before psychedelic work and structuring integration around skills for recognizing and responding to emotions.
Psychedelics
June 24, 2026
Oliver Davis
Psychedelics are interruptive, deautomating political technologies that can foster radical democracy rather than reinforce liberal-democratic systems. The article argues that understanding the political implications of psychedelics requires reconceiving psychedelic mysticism and phenomenology to recognize their embodied, agential, and politically potentiating dimensions, correcting neuro-centric views and incomplete phenomenologies. It also links the deautomating aspects of psychedelic experience to an analysis of anti-democratic forces like automation, administrative reason, and computationalist abstraction.
Psychedelics
May 30, 2026
Vinicius Ryu Kami, Beatriz Borges Bueno Salle, Giovanni Porto et al.
A scoping review mapped Brazilian research on psychedelics for psychiatric disorders, identifying 18 studies with 831 participants. Most research focused on Ayahuasca (13 studies), followed by Ibogaine and DMT. Key findings suggest rapid antidepressant effects of Ayahuasca and vaporized DMT, while Ibogaine showed potential for extending abstinence in substance use disorders. Limitations include small sample sizes, regional centralization of research (primarily in São Paulo and Rio Grande do Norte), and challenges regarding functional unblinding. The review concludes that Brazilian scientific production connects traditional Ayahuasca practices with clinical research, but future studies need larger multicentric trials and more rigorous blinding strategies.
Psychedelics
May 16, 2026
Nádia Valéria Moreira Santos, Cristiane Ferreira Silveira, Camila Gutieres Dos Santos Soares Costa et al.
Interviews with nine Brazilian participants who took ayahuasca in neoshamanic ceremonies suggested that the experience helped reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Three themes emerged: motivations for seeking ayahuasca, strategies for strengthening psychological well-being afterward, and the perceived health benefits of the psychedelic experience itself. The ceremonial use of ayahuasca may offer a promising model of care, especially in communities with limited access to advanced medical treatment.
Psychedelics
April 25, 2026
Juliet Meccia, David Casimir, Sisi Li et al.
Over the past 25 years, informal and underground use of 5-MeO-DMT has generated substantial, though underrecognized, knowledge about its potential to alleviate depressive symptoms. Traditional drug development, with structured trials and regulatory milestones, rarely incorporates findings from these alternative routes. Legal and regulatory barriers have delayed formal clinical investigation, while public channels and Indigenous knowledge have driven grassroots support and anecdotal evidence of therapeutic benefit. The article identifies critical communication gaps hindering integration of 5-MeO-DMT into mainstream psychiatry and advocates for transparent data-sharing models that incorporate existing informal knowledge.
Psychedelics
April 20, 2026
José Carlos Bouso, Óscar Andión, Jordi Cantillo et al.
A 12-month study of 264 Western participants who attended Shipibo-led ayahuasca retreats in the Peruvian Amazon found lasting psychological improvements. Neuroticism and Openness to Experience decreased, while Extraversion increased. Quality of life improved across all measured domains, and decentering capacities increased with moderate to high effect sizes. Most participants (91.7%) reported long-term benefits, primarily in spiritual well-being, mental health, and personal growth. Adverse effects were minimal (2.3%). Higher baseline psychological distress was associated with higher Neuroticism and lower decentering, suggesting that enhancing decentering may serve as a resilience factor. The findings support ethical, non-extractive integration of traditional Amazonian practices into global mental health frameworks.
Psychedelics
March 1, 2026
A.m Ortiz Bernal, C L Raison, A.m Vargas Prieto et al.
A potent psychedelic compound, 5-MeO-DMT, occurs naturally in several South American plants and in the venom of the Sonoran Desert toad Incilius alvarius. Although plant-based snuffs containing the compound have documented Indigenous use in the Caribbean and South America, recent claims that toad-derived 5-MeO-DMT is part of Comcáac (Seri) ancestral tradition lack historical and ethnographic support. The article introduces the concept of ancestralization, a process by which recent practices are reframed as ancient to gain cultural authority and legitimacy. This fabricated ancestrality has spread through ritual adaptation, media, and global retreat economies, increasing demand for toad secretions and ecological pressure on Incilius alvarius. The analysis calls for historical rigor, ethical accountability, and conservation-informed practices.
Psychedelics
January 18, 2026
Vivian W. L. Tsang, Tanner Jones, Sally Tsoi et al.
Among 1395 college-aged individuals (76% female), those who had ever used psychedelics reported lower rates of opioid use than those who had never used them, while rates of other substance use were similar between groups. Lifetime psychedelic use was not linked to reduced trauma symptoms, emotional dysregulation, or psychosocial difficulties after accounting for adverse childhood experiences, but it was associated with higher subjective spirituality. The findings suggest psychedelic use may be tied to lower opioid use without increasing other substance use, and may not improve trauma-related outcomes.
Psychedelics
November 20, 2025
Holly Hepburn, Bart Ellenbroek, Jiun Youn
A striking 75% of participants reported enhanced well-being after experiencing psychedelics, highlighting their potential in psychology and pain management. In a sample of 200 individuals, qualitative analysis revealed that 60% experienced significant shifts in beliefs about paranormal phenomena. The serotonergic effects of these substances appeared to influence cognitive and developmental psychology, suggesting a link between altered states and psychological insights. Moreover, 40% noted a placebo effect, emphasizing the complex interplay between expectation and experience in therapeutic contexts.
Psychedelics
November 15, 2025
Meghan DellaCrosse, Shoval Gilead, Rafael Lancelotta et al.
Spanish-speaking individuals who had a memorable psilocybin or LSD experience reported two main themes: deep connection (to nature, others, the present moment, and the substance) and emotion-related experiences (from joy and peace to emotional processing, catharsis, and challenging experiences). The findings are based on a secondary qualitative analysis of open-ended survey responses from 379 Spanish-speaking participants. Similarities appeared across both substances, with some unique nuances. The work underscores the need for diverse populations in psychedelic research to improve generalizability and cultural relevance, and highlights the therapeutic potential of psychedelics while calling for culturally sensitive tools.
Psychedelics
September 2, 2025
Gregor Hasler
Professor Gregor Hasler's research focuses on how psychedelics such as LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA can rapidly enhance neuroplasticity, leading to clinical improvements in depression, PTSD, and addiction that last months or years after treatment. His team discovered that mGluR5 is a biomarker for nicotine dependence, translating molecular research into practical applications. Hasler's work on glutamate and GABA systems has reshaped understanding of mood disorders and opened new treatment pathways for treatment-resistant conditions. His book 'Higher Self: Psychedelics in Psychotherapy' synthesizes decades of research, advocating for safe integration of psychedelic therapies into mainstream medicine.
Psychedelics
June 10, 2025
Stephen Ross
A single dose of psilocybin combined with psychotherapy produced rapid, substantial, and enduring reductions in anxiety and depression among advanced cancer patients, according to a landmark 2016 study that attracted 1.7 billion media views. The work, led by Professor Stephen Ross at NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine, also demonstrated efficacy for alcohol use disorder and major depressive disorder. Ross secured the first National Cancer Institute grant for psychedelic research in over 50 years, helping revive a dormant field. His ongoing research extends into pain management, early-stage cancer interventions, and possible anti-inflammatory properties of psychedelics, aiming to address conditions with substantial unmet needs.
Psychedelics
June 3, 2025
Erin E. Mauney
A researcher explores how psilocybin may help patients with treatment-resistant IBS by modulating interoception, the sense of the internal state of the body. The work is the first of its kind in gastroenterology and examines how early-life trauma becomes somatically encoded. Psychedelic-assisted therapy may create pathways for emotional release and functional improvement. The patient-centered approach combines neuroimaging, qualitative analysis, and clinical outcomes to develop scalable therapeutic options, challenging the artificial mind-body divide in medicine. This research represents a paradigm shift in understanding how psychedelics could transform treatment for patients unresponsive to conventional therapies.
Psychedelics
May 6, 2025
Michael A. Wheeler
Psychedelics like psilocybin can reverse stress-induced fear behaviors by targeting a previously hidden neuroimmune pathway connecting inflammatory cells in the meninges to brain regions controlling emotions and rewards. This research, validated in a Nature article, shows that psychedelics regulate the interplay between brain and immune cells in fear responses. By modulating both neurons and immune responses, the work opens new therapeutic possibilities for depression, addiction, and stress-related disorders.
Psychedelics
August 9, 2024
Thomas J. Kelly, Qing-Song Liu
Classical psychedelics are being studied as potential treatments for PTSD. Research in rodents shows these substances affect fear learning, recall, and extinction. The amygdala, a brain region central to fear processing, is key to these effects. Psychedelics interact with different cell types in the amygdala, and specific neural circuits may underlie their fear-suppressing effects. Because rodent and human amygdalas are functionally similar, findings from animal studies can guide clinical trials for psychedelic-assisted PTSD therapy. The authors emphasize that each psychedelic's unique pharmacology and duration of action are important factors for future research.
Psychedelics
March 8, 2024
Charles L. Raison
Charles Raison, a professor and researcher, discusses his career studying major depression and stress-related conditions. His work examines novel mechanisms in depression treatment, the effects of compassion training, and the potential of psychedelic medicines for major depression. He was recognized as one of the world's most influential researchers from 2010 to 2019.