Psychopharmacology
January 1, 2025
Brian S. Barnett, M Frances Vest, Marcus S Delatte et al.
20 citations
Establishing psychedelic research programs at academic medical centers in the United States faces unique obstacles because psychedelics are intensely psychoactive, carry sociopolitical baggage, and most are Schedule I drugs. This article reviews academic literature and draws on the authors' experiences with regulatory agencies and conducting basic science, investigator-initiated, and industry-sponsored psychedelic trials. It recommends that investigators cultivate broad institutional support early and anticipate challenges in securing funding, obtaining FDA Investigational New Drug approval, sourcing clinical-grade drug, getting DEA Schedule I researcher registration and any required state license, preparing treatment and storage spaces, managing controlled substance inventory, and engaging the local community. With planning, persistence, and expert assistance, these hurdles are likely surmountable.
Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
March 1, 2025
Franklin King, Brian S. Barnett, Erin Mauney
11 citations
Psychedelic-assisted therapy, using substances like MDMA and psilocybin, shows preliminary efficacy for depression, PTSD, and substance use disorders. Psilocybin, MDMA, and LSD have been designated breakthrough therapies by the FDA. However, in August 2024, the FDA declined to approve MDMA and requested an additional phase 3 trial. Clinicians should prepare for the possible return of psychedelics to medicine.
Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology
February 17, 2025
Erin Mauney, Franklin King, Helen Burton-Murray et al.
3 citations
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is common and often disabling, with many patients not helped by current treatments. Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT), using agents like psilocybin in a psychotherapeutic setting, has shown promise for certain psychiatric and chronic pain conditions. This editorial argues that PAT may also benefit IBS, based on three lines of evidence: psychological mechanisms from historic psychedelic studies for chronic pain, central nervous system effects like modulation of the default mode network and neuroplasticity, and the neurointestinal pathophysiology of IBS that PAT could modify. The authors suggest PAT is worthy of study as a new therapy for IBS and other disorders of gut-brain interaction, potentially moving beyond mind-body dualism.
Psychedelics
June 3, 2025
Erin Mauney
A researcher explores how psilocybin may help patients with treatment-resistant IBS by modulating interoception, the sense of the internal state of the body. The work is the first of its kind in gastroenterology and examines how early-life trauma becomes somatically encoded. Psychedelic-assisted therapy may create pathways for emotional release and functional improvement. The patient-centered approach combines neuroimaging, qualitative analysis, and clinical outcomes to develop scalable therapeutic options, challenging the artificial mind-body divide in medicine. This research represents a paradigm shift in understanding how psychedelics could transform treatment for patients unresponsive to conventional therapies.
The Primary Care Companion For CNS Disorders
June 25, 2026
Franklin King, Juliana Zambrano, Erin Mauney et al.
No Summary
The Primary Care Companion For CNS Disorders
June 23, 2026
Franklin King, Brian S. Barnett, S Trevor Taylor et al.
No Summary