People with treatment-resistant depression were slower than controls at recognizing facial emotions. After two doses of psilocybin with psychological support, their speed of emotion recognition improved to a level no different from controls, and this improvement was linked to a reduction in anhedonia. The findings suggest psilocybin may help correct emotional processing biases in depression, but placebo-controlled trials are needed to confirm.
Heavy cannabis use is linked to psychosis, but it is unclear which users are susceptible. This study examined whether variations in three genes—AKT1, COMT, and FAAH—affect cannabis experiences, including psychotic-like and euphoric effects. Data came from 720 participants: first-episode psychosis patients, controls, and young adult cannabis users. Psychotic-like experiences were more common in patients, while euphoric experiences were more common in young users. However, none of the genetic variations were associated with these experiences, nor did they interact with participant group. The findings contradict previous research suggesting these genes modulate cannabis's psychotogenic effects.