Mindfulness
August 15, 2026
Rosalind McAlpine, Merve Utanğaç, Joanna Kuć et al.
Abstract Objectives Emerging research suggests that meditation may support more beneficial psychedelic experiences while reducing the likelihood of lasting negative effects, yet its specific preparatory benefits remain underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the perceived utility of meditation as a preparatory tool for enhancing positive outcomes and reducing negative effects during...
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
July 1, 2026
Marcus J. Glennon, Catherine Bird, Prateek Yadav et al.
2 citations
Setting up a psychedelic study can be a long, arduous, and Kafkaesque process. Researchers are faced with a host of challenges in this rapidly evolving field, necessitating a range of considerations that remain largely unstandardised. Many of the complexities inherent to psychedelic research also challenge existing assumptions around, for example, approaches to psychiatric prescribing, the...
PLoS One
June 18, 2026
Elisa Liberati, Hv Curran, Peter Fonagy et al.
INTRODUCTION: Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy (MDMA-AP) is a potentially transformative intervention for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite encouraging Phase III trial results, the psychological mechanisms underpinning MDMA's therapeutic effects remain insufficiently understood. Existing research on MDMA has emphasised neurobiological processes but has...
European Journal of Psychotraumatology
June 15, 2026
V Ursule Taujanskaite, Sunjeev K. Kamboj
Background: State dissociation is commonly assessed using the Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS; 19-items). A briefer CADSS would have many advantages, enabling assessment of transient dissociative states and allowing repeated assessment within short intervals while minimizing participant burden. This is especially relevant in studies of dissociative drugs which cause...
Psychopharmacology
May 7, 2026
Emillie Beyer, M. Skumlien, Govinda Poudel et al.
Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) affects ~ 50 million individuals worldwide and is associated with alterations in brain reward pathways. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) show promise in reducing substance use and aberrant brain function in substance use disorders (SUD), but the effects on CUD or brain reward function have not been investigated. To examine whether a 2-week MBI vs. active...
BMJ Open
March 12, 2026
Rosalind McAlpine, Magdalena Jaglinska, Krisztina Jedlovszky et al.
Psychedelic-assisted therapy shows promise for treating various mental health conditions; however, its reliance on intensive psychological preparation limits its broader application. Digital health interventions have the potential to address this limitation by providing structured, accessible and scalable preparation solutions. This randomised controlled feasibility trial aims to evaluate the...
Open Science Framework
2026
Christina Chwyl, M. Kati Lear, Sunjeev K. Kamboj et al.
Self-compassion is theorized to play a central role in promoting mental health and wellbeing, including for individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD). One proposed mechanism of MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) for SAD is the cultivation of self-compassion. Across five aims, we will characterize self-compassion experiences during MDMA-AT and evaluate its role as a potential mechanism of...
Open Science Framework
October 20, 2025
Natalia Fernandez‐Vinson, Roger Atkins, Marcus J. Glennon et al.
This study examines the existence and mechanistic underpinnings of lasting neural, cognitive, and behavioural plasticity in response to N-N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in a hazardous drinking population. It combines behavioural, neuroimaging, ecological momentary and qualitative data to gain a holistic understanding of potential mechanisms of therapeutic change following DMT. Primarily, we test...
Mindfulness (N Y)
September 26, 2025
Saampras Ganesan, Nicholas T. van Dam, Sunjeev K. Kamboj et al.
3 citations
Neurofeedback Training Facilitates Awareness and Enhances Emotional Well-being Associated with Real-World Meditation Practice: A 7-T MRI Study.
Cell Reports
July 22, 2025
George Blackburne, Rosalind McAlpine, Marco S. Fabus et al.
10 citations
5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a psychedelic drug known for its uniquely profound effects on consciousness; however, it remains unknown how it affects the brain. We collected electroencephalography (EEG) data of 29 healthy individuals before and after inhaling a high dose (12-mg) of vaporized synthetic 5-MeO-DMT. We replicate results from rodents showing amplified low-frequency...
Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science
July 1, 2025
Benjamin Brake, Lillian Wieder, Natasha Hughes et al.
5 citations
Dissociative states, characterized by discontinuities in awareness and perception, occur in a diverse array of psychiatric disorders and contexts. These states have been experimentally modeled in the laboratory through various induction methods, but relatively little is known about the efficacy and comparability of different experimental methods. In this meta-analysis, we quantified...
arXiv Preprint Archive
March 28, 2025
Marcus J. Glennon, Catherine Bird, Prateek Yadav et al.
Setting up a psychedelic study can be a long, arduous, and kafkaesque process. This rapidly-developing field poses several unique challenges for researchers, necessitating a range of considerations that have not yet been standardised. Many of the complexities inherent to psychedelic research also challenge existing assumptions around, for example, approaches to psychiatric prescribing, the...
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
March 1, 2025
Ella Williams, Ursule Taujanskaite, Sunjeev K. Kamboj et al.
There is an ongoing need to identify novel pharmacological agents for the effective treatment of depression. One emerging candidate, which has demonstrated rapid-acting antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant groups, is nitrous oxide (N2O)-a gas commonly used for sedation and pain management in clinical settings and with a range of pharmacological effects, including antagonism of NMDA...
February 6, 2025
Rosalind McAlpine, Merve Utanğaç, Joanna Kuć et al.
2 citations
preprint
The potential of meditation as a preparatory tool for psychedelic experiences lacks empirical investigation. We surveyed experienced practitioners (N=123) with substantial histories in both meditation and psychedelic use to examine meditation’s role in psychedelic preparation. Respondents expected meditation training to primarily enhance acceptance and present-moment focus during psychedelic...
Psychopharmacology
February 1, 2025
Jack Stroud, Charlotte Rice, Aaron Orsini et al.
8 citations
Anecdotal reports suggest that psychedelic drugs can improve psychological wellbeing and social engagement in autistic people. However, there are few contemporary studies on this topic. To examine autistic participants' experiences with psychedelic drugs and the extent to which they attributed changes in mental health and social engagement to their most 'impactful' psychedelic experience. We...
Psychological Medicine
2025
Sunjeev K. Kamboj, Matthew Peniket, Jessica Norman et al.
Abstract Background Physiological signals conveyed by the vagus nerve may generate quiescent psychological states conducive to contemplative practices. This suggests that vagal neurostimulation could interact with contemplative psychotherapies (e.g. mindfulness and compassion-based interventions) to augment their efficacy. Methods In a fully factorial experimental trial, healthy adults ( n =...
Scientific Reports
November 21, 2024
Maximillian J. Wood, Rosalind McAlpine, Sunjeev K. Kamboj
Psychedelic substances are garnering renewed interest for their potential therapeutic applications, yet the mechanisms by which challenging experiences during psychedelic use contribute to positive outcomes remains poorly understood. Here we present a mixed-methods investigation into the strategies individuals employ to navigate difficult psychedelic experiences and their relationship to...
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
October 26, 2024
Saampras Ganesan, Nicholas T. van Dam, Sunjeev K. Kamboj et al.
3 citations
preprint
Meditation can benefit well-being and mental health, but novices often struggle to effectively recognize and disengage from mental processes during meditation due to limited awareness, potentially diminishing meditation's benefits. We investigated whether personalised high-precision neurofeedback (NF) can improve disengagement from mental activity during meditation and enhance meditation's...
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
October 7, 2024
George Blackburne, Rosalind McAlpine, Marco S. Fabus et al.
8 citations
preprint
Abstract 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a psychedelic drug known for its uniquely profound effects on subjective experience, reliably eradicating the perception of time, space, and the self. However, little is known about how this drug alters large-scale brain activity. We collected naturalistic electroencephalography (EEG) data of 29 healthy individuals before and after...
Scientific Reports
February 19, 2024
Rosalind McAlpine, Matthew D. Sacchet, Otto Simonsson et al.
13 citations
Psychedelic substances induce profound alterations in consciousness. Careful preparation is therefore essential to limit adverse reactions, enhance therapeutic benefits, and maintain user safety. This paper describes the development of a self-directed, digital intervention for psychedelic preparation. Drawing on elements from the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) framework for developing...
Scientific Reports
February 8, 2024
Rosalind McAlpine, George Blackburne, Sunjeev K. Kamboj
24 citations
Preparing participants for psychedelic experiences is crucial for ensuring these experiences are safe and, potentially beneficial. However, there is currently no validated measure to assess the extent to which participants are well-prepared for such experiences. Our study aimed to address this gap by developing, validating, and testing the Psychedelic Preparedness Scale (PPS). Using a novel...
November 22, 2023
Rosalind McAlpine, Katarina Krajnović, Maisha M. Khan et al.
preprint
Psychedelic substances induce profound alterations in consciousness. Careful preparation is therefore essential to limit adverse reactions, enhance therapeutic benefits, and maintain user safety. This paper describes the development of a self-directed, digital intervention for psychedelic preparation. Drawing on elements from the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) framework for developing...
Psychopharmacology
March 26, 2022
Giulia Piazza, Georges Iskandar, Vanessa Hennessy et al.
14 citations
A significant obstacle to an improved understanding of pathological dissociative and psychosis-like states is the lack of readily implemented pharmacological models of these experiences. Ketamine has dissociative and psychotomimetic effects but can be difficult to use outside of medical and clinical-research facilities. Alternatively, nitrous oxide (N2O) — like ketamine, a dissociative...
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
July 23, 2021
Sunjeev K. Kamboj, Hannah Zhao, Luzia Troebinger et al.
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an anesthetic gas with both therapeutic and abuse potential. Because N2O is an NMDA receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, its effects are expected to resemble those of the prototypical NMDAR antagonist, ketamine. In this study, we examined the subjective rewarding effects of N2O using measures previously employed in studies of ketamine. We also tested for moderation of these...
Mindfulness
November 4, 2017
Sunjeev K. Kamboj, Ylva Walldén, Caroline J. Falconer et al.
27 citations
3,4-Methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA;'ecstasy') produces prosocial subjective effects that may extend to affiliative feelings towards the self. Behavioural techniques can produce similar self-directed affiliation. For example, compassionate imagery (CI) and ecstasy reduce self-criticism and increase self-compassion to a similar extent, with the effects of CI enhanced in the presence of...