Der Nervenarzt
September 1, 2024
Johannes Jungwirth, Francesco Bavato, Boris B Quednow
6 citations
A review article examines the risks and methodological weaknesses of studies on psychedelic and dissociative agents for mental health treatment. While ketamine, esketamine, LSD, and psilocybin show promising results for conditions like treatment-resistant depression, leading to approvals of esketamine in the US, EU, and Switzerland, and psilocybin for compassionate use in Australia, Canada, and Switzerland, the authors caution that excessive expectations and insufficient risk-benefit estimation can harm patients and physician reputation. The article focuses specifically on treatment risks and study quality issues, emphasizing that careful assessment of challenges is crucial despite hopes for a paradigm shift in psychiatry.
Der Nervenarzt
September 1, 2023
Dusan Hirjak, Jonas Daub, Geva A Brandt et al.
6 citations
Patients with schizophrenia often experience fragmented time and distorted spatial perception, such as abnormal interpersonal distance and orientation, which can detach them from reality and complicate therapy. Despite this, these experiences remain understudied due to a lack of standardized measurement tools. Based on spatiotemporal psychopathology (STPP), a clinical rating scale called the Scale for Space and Time Experience in Psychosis (STEP) was developed. The German version of STEP assesses 14 spatial and 11 temporal phenomena across 25 items. It demonstrates high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.94) and significant correlation with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS; p < 0.001), offering a valuable instrument for German-speaking countries.
Der Nervenarzt
March 1, 2013
T Passie, J Warncke, T Peschel et al.
3 citations
Religions are evolutionary selected social and cultural phenomena that today form the basis of major cultural belief and normative systems. Religious experiences, especially mystical experiences, are widespread across populations and are the most consistent and transculturally uniform type. This review examines empirical results and hypothetical approaches to explaining mystical religious experiences neurobiologically. Some hypotheses have logical evidence, some are supported by neurobiological studies, but all have pitfalls and are at best partially consistent. A key insight is that multiple different neurophysiological conditions may produce the same core mystical experiences.
Der Nervenarzt
February 12, 2025
Nina Hartter, Marvin Däumichen, Christopher Schmidt et al.
1 citation
An online survey of 1,456 mental health experts, patients, and the general public found that greater knowledge about psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT), self-assessed knowledge, personal treatment experience, and prior experience with psychedelics predicted more positive attitudes toward introducing PAT. Providing information about PAT's potential only increased acceptance when combined with information about its risks. Participants were generally optimistic about implementing PAT. The link between knowledge and acceptance was confirmed, suggesting that balanced education and reporting on PAT can foster higher acceptance.
Der Nervenarzt
May 1, 2024
Bernhard T Baune, Sarah E Fromme, Maximilian Kiebs et al.
1 citation
Treatment-resistant depression lacks a standardized definition, but several promising pharmacological and neuromodulatory options exist. Current research emphasizes fast-acting, well-tolerated treatments beyond the monoamine hypothesis. Esketamine is an established fast-acting and well-tolerated therapy, while psychedelics and esmethadone remain in clinical trials. Off-label compounds like dextromethorphan and anti-inflammatory strategies are also discussed. Pharmacological approaches modulating the glutamatergic system or belonging to the psychedelic class are particularly important for current research, especially those with rapid clinical effects and favorable side-effect profiles.
Der Nervenarzt
March 1, 2025
Moritz Spangemacher, Jonathan Reinwald, Hana Adolphi et al.
Classical and novel antidepressants may share a common mechanism: promoting long-term neuroplasticity and improving negative bias in emotional processing. Extrapharmacological factors—body, environment, and social interaction—appear necessary for these biological changes to produce an antidepressant effect. Rather than dismissing such factors as placebo, the authors argue they should be tested as essential components of treatment and integrated into clinical practice.