Cell Reports Medicine
January 1, 2023
Melis Yilmaz Balban, Eric Neri, Manuela M. Kogon et al.
261 citations
A month-long remote randomized controlled trial compared three daily five-minute breathwork exercises—cyclic sighing (prolonged exhalations), box breathing (equal inhale, hold, exhale), and cyclic hyperventilation with retention (longer inhales, shorter exhales)—against mindfulness meditation. Cyclic sighing produced greater improvements in mood and greater reductions in respiratory rate than mindfulness meditation. The findings suggest that brief, exhale-focused breathwork may be an effective stress management tool.
Cell Reports Medicine
August 1, 2021
John H. Krystal, Benjamin Kelmendi, Ismene L. Petrakis
13 citations
A Phase III trial of MDMA combined with psychotherapy for severe PTSD produced a 24.4-point (55.5%) reduction in PTSD severity, compared with 13.9 points (31.5%) for placebo, and 33% of the MDMA group achieved remission versus 5% of the placebo group. The effect size was large (d > 0.9). MDMA also improved depression and social disability. The commentary notes the study was small for a Phase III trial, raises concerns about unblinding due to MDMA's subjective effects, and calls for larger replication trials, active comparators, and better safety monitoring for neurotoxicity and addiction liability.
Cell Reports Medicine
January 1, 2023
J. John Mann
7 citations
A single 25 mg dose of psilocybin produces a short-term antidepressant effect in people with medication-resistant depression. Unanswered questions remain about whether drug blood levels can guide dosing, how the psychedelic experience relates to the antidepressant benefit, and whether psilocybin carries a risk of suicide.
Cell Reports Medicine
May 7, 2026
Mihai Avram, Aurore Menegaux, Felix Müller et al.
1 citation
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) may alleviate depression by altering white matter microstructure in the brain, potentially reflecting enhanced neuroplasticity. In a clinical trial of 61 patients with major depressive disorder, those receiving moderate-to-high doses (100 μg then 200 μg) showed increased fractional anisotropy in several white matter tracts, including the internal and external capsule, sagittal stratum, and fornix/stria terminalis. These microstructural changes correlated with improvements in depressive symptoms measured at 2, 6, and 12 weeks. The findings suggest that LSD-induced white matter changes are linked to antidepressant effects.