March 2026
Addiction
What March 2026's 14 new studies found, synthesized from the papers below. All Addiction research →
The synthesis
Synthesized from 14 studies in the library · AI-generated, grounded in the abstracts below
Found by searching the library for Addiction, substance use disorder, dependence, alcohol use disorder, opioid use disorder, then ranked by relevance.
Research in March 2026 indicates that psychedelic compounds, particularly ketamine and ibogaine derivatives, show promise for reducing substance use and improving comorbid depression, but evidence remains preliminary. Findings are mixed: oxa-noribogaine reduced alcohol drinking in rats, open-label extension data on psilocybin for alcohol use disorder is pending, and small observational studies suggest ketamine may reduce substance misuse in chronic pain patients. However, the evidence is limited by small samples, open-label designs, and lack of controlled trials in representative clinical populations.
Confidence in the evidence
Low-Moderate- Only one preclinical study (oxa-noribogaine in rats) provides controlled experimental evidence; human studies are mostly observational, qualitative, or protocols.
- Sample sizes are small: the observational ketamine study had 20 participants, the qualitative OUD study had 17, and the feasibility trial plans 30.
- Several studies are open-label or lack blinding, increasing risk of expectancy effects and bias.
- Findings are consistent in direction (positive for psychedelic-assisted therapy) but come from diverse designs and populations, limiting generalizability.
How we rate confidence
Confidence reflects the strength of the underlying evidence, not whether the result is favorable. It weighs the number and size of studies, their design (randomized trials count for more than observational or single-case work), how consistently they point the same way, and their risk of bias.
Tiers run from Insufficient to High. High is rare in this field: small, early, or open-label studies land lower even when their direction is encouraging.
Evidence by study
Direction is each study's finding relative to your question: Supports, Opposes, No effect, Mixed, or Unclear.
| Study | Design | Sample size | Direction | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxa-noribogaine reduces alcohol drinking through aversion learning and by altering glutamatergic activity in the mPFC 2026 | preclinical | Supports | Oxa-noribogaine reduced alcohol consumption and relapse-like drinking in rats through aversion learning and glutamatergic changes in the mPFC. | |
| Addiction psychiatry: where we are and challenges in the UK 2026 | review | Mixed | Reviews that psychedelics and neuromodulation show promise for addiction but require larger, better-designed trials in clinically representative populations. | |
| Therapeutic Potential of Classical Psychedelics and NonHallucinogenic Psychoplastogens in Psychiatric Disorders 2026 | review | Supports | Synthesizes evidence that classical psychedelics can produce rapid and durable mood improvements, but notes limitations like small samples and expectancy effects. | |
| Safety and Efficacy of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder: Open-Label Extension of a Phase II Randomized Controlled Trial 2026 | open-label extension | Unclear | Title indicates an open-label extension of a Phase II RCT for psilocybin-assisted therapy in alcohol use disorder, but no results are provided in the abstract. | |
| Ketamine Use in Self-Described Therapeutic Contexts: A Thematic Analysis of Reddit Posts 2026 | qualitative | 500 | Mixed | Users reported positive effects on emotional well-being (65%) but also adverse psychological effects (56%) and frequent high-dose use, highlighting addiction potential. |
| Editorial: Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapies: from clinical trials to credibility 2026 | editorial | Mixed | Highlights methodological challenges in psychedelic trials including masking, expectancy effects, and ethical issues that impair field advancement. | |
| The Neuropeptidergic Modulation of Phenomenological Depth: A Review of Oxytocin’s Role in Facilitating States of Pure Consciousness 2026 | theoretical review | Unclear | Proposes oxytocin as a modulator of ego-dissolution and non-dual awareness, but does not directly address addiction. | |
| Editorial: Psychedelic substances and neurological diseases: from basics to clinical application 2026 | editorial | Supports | States that psychedelics induce neuroplasticity and alleviate symptoms in neuropsychiatric disorders including addiction, but provides no new data. | |
| Ketamine for comorbid treatment-resistant depression and substance use disorders: balancing risks and opportunities 2026 | commentary | Mixed | Notes that individuals with SUD are overrepresented among ketamine responders for TRD, but urges caution due to ketamine's misuse potential. | |
| Ketamine as a Bridge Therapy: Reducing Acute Suicidality in Hospital Settings 2026 | narrative review | Supports | Suggests ketamine as a bridge therapy for acute suicidality with low addiction risk in controlled settings, but the model is hypothetical. | |
| Ketamine Therapy for Chronic Pain Provides Added Benefits for Substance Misuse Therapy 2026 | observational | 20 | Supports | After repeated ketamine treatments, substance misuse improved in all patients, with reductions in pain, depression, and dependence severity. |
| The Montreal model of ketamine-therapy for alcohol use disorder and comorbid treatment-resistant depression: protocol for a feasibility trial 2026 | protocol | 30 | Unclear | Describes a feasibility trial of ketamine plus ACT for comorbid AUD and TRD; no results reported. |
| Views on Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy for Substance Use Disorders from Individuals with Opioid Use Disorder and a History of Injection-Related Infections: A Qualitative Study. 2026 | qualitative | 17 | Supports | Participants generally supported psychedelic-assisted therapy for SUD, citing potential for insight and openness, but raised concerns about bad trips and relapse. |
| Ketamine-Prazosin Combined Pharmacotherapy in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder: Targeting Complementary Neurobiological Mechanisms. 2026 | theoretical | Supports | Proposes ketamine-prazosin combination for PTSD and AUD based on complementary mechanisms, but notes it is untested in clinical trials. |
Oxa-noribogaine reduced alcohol consumption and relapse-like drinking in rats through aversion learning and glutamatergic changes in the mPFC.
preclinical
Reviews that psychedelics and neuromodulation show promise for addiction but require larger, better-designed trials in clinically representative populations.
review
Synthesizes evidence that classical psychedelics can produce rapid and durable mood improvements, but notes limitations like small samples and expectancy effects.
review
Title indicates an open-label extension of a Phase II RCT for psilocybin-assisted therapy in alcohol use disorder, but no results are provided in the abstract.
open-label extension
Users reported positive effects on emotional well-being (65%) but also adverse psychological effects (56%) and frequent high-dose use, highlighting addiction potential.
qualitative Sample size: 500
Highlights methodological challenges in psychedelic trials including masking, expectancy effects, and ethical issues that impair field advancement.
editorial
Proposes oxytocin as a modulator of ego-dissolution and non-dual awareness, but does not directly address addiction.
theoretical review
States that psychedelics induce neuroplasticity and alleviate symptoms in neuropsychiatric disorders including addiction, but provides no new data.
editorial
Notes that individuals with SUD are overrepresented among ketamine responders for TRD, but urges caution due to ketamine's misuse potential.
commentary
Suggests ketamine as a bridge therapy for acute suicidality with low addiction risk in controlled settings, but the model is hypothetical.
narrative review
After repeated ketamine treatments, substance misuse improved in all patients, with reductions in pain, depression, and dependence severity.
observational Sample size: 20
Describes a feasibility trial of ketamine plus ACT for comorbid AUD and TRD; no results reported.
protocol Sample size: 30
Participants generally supported psychedelic-assisted therapy for SUD, citing potential for insight and openness, but raised concerns about bad trips and relapse.
qualitative Sample size: 17
Proposes ketamine-prazosin combination for PTSD and AUD based on complementary mechanisms, but notes it is untested in clinical trials.
theoretical
Points of agreement
- Psychedelic compounds (ketamine, psilocybin, ibogaine derivatives) are viewed as promising for treating substance use disorders, especially when combined with therapy.
- Small studies and qualitative reports indicate positive effects on mood and substance use reduction, but methodological limitations are widely acknowledged.
- There is recognition of the need for larger, controlled trials with representative populations and attention to safety and addiction potential.
Conflicts
- Ketamine is described as having low addiction risk in controlled settings (article 25214) but also as having misuse potential and frequent high-dose use in real-world contexts (article 29155).
- Some studies emphasize the importance of mystical-type experiences for therapeutic effect, while others suggest they may not be strictly required (article 28040).
Gaps
- No large-scale, double-blind, placebo-controlled RCTs for psychedelic-assisted therapy in addiction are reported in this set.
- Durability of effects beyond short-term follow-up is not assessed.
- Studies lack representative populations with polydrug use and comorbid mental illness.
- The role of expectancy effects and blinding integrity is not systematically addressed in most studies.
- Dose-response relationships and optimal treatment protocols remain undefined.