Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
September 7, 2026
Damian Swieczkowski, Aleksander Kwaśny, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała
This qualitative study examines self-reported experiences with 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) shared on Reddit to explore subjective reports, contextual influences, and perceived effects. A total of 120 posts from 24 discussion threads were purposively selected and thematically analyzed using an inductive, constructivist approach. The analysis resulted in 48 codes, which were...
Psychiatry International
September 1, 2026
Damian Swieczkowski, Michal Pruc, Lukasz Szarpak et al.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) continue to drive interest in ketamine-family compounds and psilocybin, but antidepressant efficacy alone does not establish whether these interventions can be evaluated reliably or implemented responsibly. We conducted a structured narrative review using targeted PubMed/MEDLINE searches through 21 July 2026,...
Nutritional Psychiatry
September 1, 2026
Agnieszka Mechlińska, Aleksander Kwaśny, Michał Pastuszak et al.
ABSTRACT Psychedelic compounds exhibit diverse pharmacological and clinical effects, underscoring the need for further research and the development of clear guidelines to support their safe and effective clinical use. Growing interest in psychedelics has also increased attention toward the relationship between nutrition, dietary habits, and psychiatric disorders. This narrative review presents...
Journal of Affective Disorders
August 15, 2026
Michał Walaszek, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała, Zofia Kachlik et al.
Anhedonia, a core symptom of major depressive disorder (MDD), is associated with illness severity, suicide risk, poor functioning, and predicts poor response to antidepressants. While no treatments are approved, ketamine and esketamine show promise in reducing anhedonia. This study examines clinical and sociodemographic features linked to anhedonia treatment response in treatment-resistant...
Ther Adv Psychopharmacol
June 29, 2026
Damian Swieczkowski, Aleksander Kwaśny, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała
Readability of informed consent forms from ClinicalTrials.gov in ketamine clinical trials for mental health conditions: a cross-sectional analysis.
European Psychiatry
June 1, 2026
Michał Pastuszak, Katarzyna Jakuszkowiak‐wojten, Maria Gałuszko‐węgielnik et al.
Introduction Research on psychedelic compounds has grown quickly in the past decade. Yet molecule-specific, quantitative summaries are scattered, making it hard to see how interest differs by compound or over time. Objectives To quantify PubMed-indexed publications on ketamine, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), psilocybin, and psilocin; to describe annual trends...
International journal of psychiatry in clinical practice
June 1, 2026
Damian Swieczkowski, Aleksander Kwaśny, Michal Pruc et al.
To explore sex, racial and ethnic disparities in esketamine clinical trials for mental health disorders registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. We conducted a registry-based cross-sectional analysis of interventional esketamine trials with results posted on ClinicalTrials.gov (cut-off date: 10 February 2025). Using predefined eligibility criteria, two investigators independently extracted and...
European Psychiatry
June 1, 2026
Agnieszka Mechlińska, Damian Swieczkowski, Aleksander Kwaśny et al.
Introduction MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine)–assisted therapy has gained growing scientific attention as a potential treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions. Although clinical studies suggest potential benefits, concerns remain regarding cardiovascular safety, methodological rigor, and variability in psychotherapeutic support (Singh et al . CNS...
Pharmacol Rep
May 20, 2026
Aleksander Kwaśny, Alina Wilkowska, Michał Pastuszak et al.
Treatment-emergent psychiatric adverse events in patient-reported outcomes during ketamine use for major depressive disorder: a retrospective analysis.
European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology
January 16, 2026
Damian Swieczkowski, Aleksander Kwaśny, Krzysztof Sadko et al.
1 citation
Psilocybin-assisted therapies are increasingly studied for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD), and methodological rigor requires both pharmacological evaluation and consistent reporting of non-pharmacological variables that influence therapeutic outcomes. To address this need, the ReSPCT (Reporting of Setting in Psychedelic Clinical Trials) guidelines were...
Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology
2026
Zofia Kachlik, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała, Michał Walaszek et al.
Anhedonia is a key symptom of bipolar depression and a target of ketamine's rapid antidepressant effects. However, many patients with treatment-resistant bipolar depression (TRBD) do not respond. This study aimed to identify clinical and sociodemographic characteristics that are associated with nonresponse of anhedonia following short-term ketamine treatment in TRBD. A retrospective analysis...
Frontiers in Nutrition
August 21, 2025
Jakub Słupski, Agnieszka Mechlińska, Adam Włodarczyk et al.
1 citation
Mood disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BP), significantly impact global health, with MDD affecting over 300 million people and BP affecting approximately 2% of the world's population. Ketamine, originally an anesthetic, has emerged as a promising treatment for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), due to its unique pharmacological...
Psychiatry Research
August 1, 2025
Damian Swieczkowski, Aleksander Kwaśny, Krzysztof Sadko et al.
5 citations
Ketamine and its enantiomers, esketamine and arketamine, have emerged as promising treatments for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). This cross-sectional study evaluates the regulatory alignment of 40 clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov, focusing on the methodological challenges. The study highlights methodological inconsistencies, particularly around the challenges of functional...
Neuropsychopharmacology Reports
July 20, 2025
Zofia Kachlik, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała, Michał Walaszek et al.
3 citations
OBJECTIVES: Ketamine is a prototypical rapid-acting antidepressant for treatment-resistant bipolar depression (TRBD), yet many patients do not achieve a meaningful response. This study explored features of ketamine nonresponse in TRBD. METHODS: In a post hoc analysis of a naturalistic study, 35 TRBD patients received a four-week ketamine regimen (intravenous 0.5 mg/kg or oral 2.0/2.5 mg/kg)....
Journal of Psychopharmacology
July 11, 2025
Aleksander Kwaśny, Patrycja Ciurkowska, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała et al.
6 citations
Background: Although classic psychedelic trials show therapeutic potential, the limited diversity of participants raises concerns about generalizability and safety. Aims: This study assesses the representation of race, ethnicity, and sex in interventional clinical trials of psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) to evaluate disparities in participant diversity. Methods: We conducted a...
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry
June 7, 2025
Damian Swieczkowski, Aleksander Kwaśny, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała
5 citations
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) remains a challenge, with many patients unresponsive to standard antidepressants. NN-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a fast-acting psychedelic, offers potential benefits due to its rapid onset and short duration. This review, registered with the Open Science Framework (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/6D9WC), summarizes the safety and tolerability of DMT in early-phase...
Pharmacological reports : PR
April 30, 2025
Michał Walaszek, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała, Zofia Kachlik et al.
3 citations
Ketamine is currently gaining attention as a rapid-acting antidepressant for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, many patients fail to respond, and limited data exist on predictors of non-response. This study aims to characterize the sociodemographic and clinical features associated with non-response to ketamine among TRD patients. This is a post-hoc analysis of a naturalistic...
The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine
April 25, 2025
Damian Swieczkowski, Aleksander Kwaśny, Michal Pruc et al.
4 citations
Objective To evaluate psilocybin's efficacy in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms in cancer patients based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods This systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) followed PRISMA and Cochrane Handbook guidelines. PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library data up to July 2024 were analyzed. Two RCTs met the inclusion criteria. Changes in Beck...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
April 18, 2025
Damian Swieczkowski, Aleksander Kwaśny, Krzysztof Sadko et al.
1 citation
Ibogaine, a non-classical psychedelic, has gained increasing attention as a potential treatment for substance use disorders (SUD); however, a lack of commercial interest and safety-related concerns limit its clinical development. This cross-sectional study investigates the current landscape of clinical trials involving ibogaine, a non-classical psychedelic, focusing on its safety and efficacy....
Pharmacopsychiatry
April 17, 2025
Aleksander Kwaśny, Zuzanna Gaca, Damian Swieczkowski et al.
2 citations
Abstract Regulatory compliance is crucial in the clinical development of psychedelic substances, including psilocybin. This study aimed to examine the alignment of clinical trial protocols for psilocybin in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) with established regulatory requirements. A cross-sectional investigation was conducted on...
Psychiatry Research
February 1, 2025
Damian Swieczkowski, Aleksander Kwaśny, Michal Pruc et al.
17 citations
Selecting the optimal dose of psilocybin for treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) is crucial for clinical development and regulatory approval. This meta-analysis evaluates psilocybin's efficacy and safety in treating MDD to determine the optimal dose and timing for clinical trials. A systematic review and Dose-Response Network Meta-Analysis (NMA) of...
Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology
2025
Aleksander Kwaśny, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała, Alina Wilkowska
Intravenous ketamine is effective in treatment-resistant bipolar depression (TRBD) with dosing typically based on actual body weight (ABW). This study examined whether alternative normalization formulas are associated with treatment response. A retrospective exploratory analysis of a naturalistic registry for short-term ketamine use. A total of 22 TRBD inpatients received short-term intravenous...
Pharmacological reports : PR
December 1, 2024
Julia Kwaśna, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała, Aleksander Kwaśny et al.
4 citations
Emerging evidence indicates that intravenous ketamine is effective in managing treatment-resistant unipolar and bipolar depression. Clinical studies highlight its favorable efficacy, safety, and tolerability profile within a dosage range of 0.5-1.0 mg/kg based on actual body weight. However, data on alternative dosage calculation methods, particularly in relation to body mass index (BMI) and...
Drugs - real world outcomes
December 1, 2024
Michał Pastuszak, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała, Aleksander Kwaśny
3 citations
Residual symptoms are frequently observed in a significant number of patients with depression, indicating an unmet need for effective management strategies to achieve functional recovery. This observational study aimed to evaluate the impact of ketamine infusions on depressive symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder who continued their baseline psychotropic and chronic somatic treatments....
Pharmacological reports : PR
December 1, 2024
Aleksander Kwaśny, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała, Adam Włodarczyk et al.
2 citations
This study examines self-reported sleep alterations in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) inpatients following intravenous ketamine administration. This is a post-hoc analysis of a naturalistic observational study, which enrolled 28 inpatients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder and analyzed self-reported sleep changes (items 1-4; 'insomnia', 'nighttime restlessness', 'early...