Neurobiology of the Antidepressant Effects of Serotonergic Psychedelics: A Narrative Review
Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry April 26, 2024 Noah Chisamore, Erica Kaczmarek, Gia Han Le et al. 8 citations
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Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry
ISSN 2196-3061
4 papers in the library · 13 citations · publishing 2024-2025
Papers
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression: a Systematic Review
Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry May 5, 2025 Ana Malta Gomes, Filipa Novais 3 citations
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) shows minimal improvement after two or more antidepressant trials. Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) combines the rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine with psychotherapy to improve and sustain outcomes. A systematic review of eight studies involving 421 participants found that KAP significantly reduces depressive symptoms compared to ketamine alone. Preliminary evidence also suggests KAP may help with PTSD, anxiety, and chronic pain. However, small sample sizes, varying protocols, short follow-ups, and risk of bias limit firm conclusions. The findings indicate KAP is promising for TRD, but larger, high-quality trials are needed to confirm effectiveness and establish standard protocols.
Commentary on Methods for Addressing Functional Unblinding and Mechanistic Uncertainty in Clinical Trials of Psychedelic-Assisted Treatments
Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry November 11, 2025 Dan Petrovitch, Sarah E. Victor, A. Schmidt et al. 2 citations
The intense and distinctive subjective effects of psychedelics complicate tests of the efficacy and mechanisms of action of psychedelic-assisted treatments for mental-health conditions. Estimates of treatment efficacy are confounded under functional unblinding, and uncertainty surrounds whether subjective or neurobiological effects are causal mechanisms. Methodological solutions include improved active placebo conditions, expectancy-focused recruitment and consent procedures, better measurement of expectancies and blinding, and rigorous statistical modeling. Strategies to disentangle subjective and neurobiological effects include administering psychedelics under general anesthesia, developing non-psychoactive analogues, leveraging Mendelian randomization, and studying microdosing. Combining multiple innovative methods may offer the most robust insights.
A Systematic Review of the efficacy, safety, and Tolerability of Psychedelics in the Treatment of post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry December 26, 2025 Manasicha P. Wongpaiboon, Jackson L. Shelton, Eric Delgado Rendon et al.
A systematic review of 42 studies found that ketamine produced rapid symptom improvement for PTSD, though effects diminished in single-dose trials but persisted with repeated doses or when combined with psychotherapy. MDMA was associated with substantial and lasting symptom improvement in controlled settings. Data for ayahuasca, DMT, LSD, ibogaine, and psilocybin were preliminary but suggested potential benefits. Most studies assessed safety, and the treatments were generally well tolerated, with transient autonomic changes being the most common adverse effects. The evidence is strongest for MDMA and ketamine, but findings should be interpreted cautiously due to heterogeneity in study designs, sample sizes, and protocols.