International review of psychiatry (Abingdon, England)
January 1, 2023
Fabio Carezzato, Ilana Falcão de Arruda, Caio Petrus Monteiro Figueiredo et al.
4 citations
Gender and sex differences shape how people use MDMA and how it affects them. Women often use MDMA to cope with negative emotions or self-medicate after traumatic life events, while men are more likely to start using due to peer pressure or sensation-seeking. Women report greater anxiety, adverse effects, and negative side effects from MDMA, and they face higher risks of sexually transmitted infections because of altered mental states and reduced condom use. Women may be more susceptible to hyponatremia but less vulnerable to MDMA-induced hyperthermia. Prenatal MDMA exposure may cause motor delays in infants. MDMA-assisted psychotherapy shows promise for treating PTSD, especially in female subgroups. More research is needed to develop tailored treatments.
Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland)
July 21, 2025
Paula S C C Castro, Kae Leopoldo, Maria Olivia Pozzolo Pedro et al.
2 citations
Lysergic acid amide (LSA), consumed mainly from Convolvulaceae plant seeds, produces euphoria, hallucinations, nausea, and anxiety. Severe adverse outcomes include psychosis, hypertension, and hospitalization. Some evidence suggests potential therapeutic application for cluster headaches, but variability in dosing and online misinformation heighten risks. The systematic review of 17 human studies concludes that LSA poses significant health risks, exacerbated by a lack of scientific studies, and calls for further research to clarify its pharmacological profile and establish safety guidelines.
Medicina Clínica y Social
May 5, 2022
Pablo Andres Alves da Silva Zunini, Guilherme Passamani Borges, João Henrique Almeida Tonon et al.
A systematic review of 19 studies across 18 countries confirms that cannabis use is linked to the onset of psychotic symptoms. However, no data supported an increased risk, earlier onset, or greater intensity of psychosis among cannabis users in countries with higher levels of cannabis legalization or decriminalization up to May 2018. The authors note that none of the reviewed studies specifically evaluated the effects of legalization or decriminalization policies on these outcomes, so the absence of evidence does not rule out such effects. They call for prospective studies focused on policy impacts in countries like Canada, Spain, the United States, the Netherlands, and Uruguay.
Brain Sciences
June 24, 2023
Mariana Campello De Oliveira, Mariana Capelo Vides, Dângela Layne Silva Lassi et al.
Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs), sold as 'K2', 'K9', or 'Spice', pose greater health risks than cannabis, with higher toxicity and addiction potential unrelated to Δ9-THC. A systematic review of 64 articles (10 original papers and 54 case studies) found that SCs, particularly AB-CHMINACA and MDMB-CHMICA, were linked to deaths, with tachycardia and seizures as the most common toxicity symptoms. Third-generation SCs showed higher prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms. SCs may exhibit greater toxicity and longer-lasting effects than THC, especially harmful for people with epilepsy and schizophrenia due to increased risk of psychiatric and neurologic disorders, convulsive crises, consciousness decline, and hemodynamic changes.