Molecular Psychiatry
May 29, 2026
Mickael Eskinazi, Rayan Nasserdine, Romane M Cusin et al.
Serotonergic psychedelics are increasingly investigated as treatments for affective disorders. Concerns persist regarding their potential to induce hypomania or mania, particularly in individuals with bipolar spectrum vulnerability. Whether these substances precipitate transient mood switches or contribute to persistent bipolar illness or diagnostic transition remains unclear. We conducted a...
Suchttherapie
May 12, 2026
Louise Penzenstadler, Tatiana Aboulafia Brakha, Daniele Zullino
Zusammenfassung Substanzkonsumstörungen (SUD) sind chronische Erkrankungen mit hohen Rückfallraten und begrenzter Wirksamkeit etablierter Behandlungen. Vor diesem Hintergrund rückt die psychedelisch-assistierte Psychotherapie (PAP) mit Psilocybin und LSD zunehmend in den Fokus; die Literatur berichtet Hinweise auf mögliche Effekte insbesondere bei AUD und affektiven Symptomen. Ziel der Studie:...
Schizophrenia Research
March 13, 2026
Michel Sabé, Paul Grof, Nathan Sackett et al.
1 citation
Serotonergic psychedelics are re-emerging as therapeutic candidates across psychiatry, particularly for treatment-resistant depression. Their rapid and sustained antidepressant effects, alongside evidence for neuroplastic, dopaminergic, and glutamatergic modulation, have prompted interest in whether they could address depressive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs)....
Psychiatry Research
February 2, 2026
Tatiana Aboulafia Brakha, Albert Buchard, Cédric Mabilais et al.
1 citation
Classic serotonergic psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin show promising antidepressant effects in controlled trials, but real-world data from routine clinical care remain limited. This study retrospectively analysed routine data from adults with treatment-resistant depressive and/or anxiety disorders who received a first standardized Psychedelic-assisted Psychotherapy (PAP) cycle with 100...
Psychology International
December 19, 2025
Morgan C H Cheng, Tatiana Aboulafia Brakha, Albert Buchard et al.
Classic psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin induce mild cardiovascular activation in addition to their psychological effects. While these effects are well described in healthy adults, little is known about their dynamics in clinical populations undergoing psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. This retrospective, observational, single-center study analyzed...
SUCHT - Zeitschrift für Wissenschaft und Praxis / Journal of Addiction Research and Practice
December 1, 2025
Alexander Wopfner, Thilo Beck, Louise Penzenstadler
Zusammenfassung: Hintergrund: Die Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Suchtmedizin (SSAM) setzt sich für die wissenschaftlich fundierte und patientenorientierte Behandlung von Suchterkrankungen ein. Position: Angesichts der jüngsten wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnisse und internationaler Entwicklungen beurteilt die SSAM Psychedelika assistierte Psychotherapie (PAT) mit klassischen Psychedelika wie LSD...
Research Square
December 1, 2025
Albert Buchard, Federico Seragnoli, Michel Sabé et al.
Abstract Early maladaptive schemas (EMS) are highly prevalent in patients seeking psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and correlate strongly with baseline depression and anxiety. This study characterized EMS in 192 adults and longitudinally followed 74 patients receiving psilocybin- or LSD-assisted therapy. We found that baseline schema burden, particularly related to failure and defectiveness,...
Psychoactives
September 1, 2025
M Mercier, Cédric Mabilais, Vasileios Chytas et al.
Psychedelic substances have experienced a resurgence of clinical interest in recent years, particularly for their promising effects in the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. While evidence regarding their role in chronic pain management remains limited, emerging studies suggest potential therapeutic benefits. This case report describes a patient with persistent...
Psychoactives
August 1, 2025
L. Cazorla, Sylvie Alaux, Caroline Amberger et al.
Despite growing evidence supporting the efficacy of LSD-assisted psychotherapy in treating major depressive disorder (MDD), identifying reliable psychopharmacological biomarkers remains necessary. Oxytocin, a neuropeptide implicated in social bonding and flexibility, is a promising candidate due to its release following serotonergic psychedelic administration in healthy individuals; however,...
Revue medicale suisse
April 23, 2025
Louise Penzenstadler, Sandra Baudois, Alma Lingenberg et al.
Psychedelics, such as psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide, modulate neuroplasticity and brain connectivity via 5-HT2A receptors. Their efficacy has been demonstrated in depression and anxiety, where they are particularly interesting because of their rapid and long-lasting effect. They could also be beneficial for addictions, post-traumatic stress, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. This...
Molecular Psychiatry
March 1, 2025
Michel Sabé, Adi Sulstarova, Alban Glangetas et al.
39 citations
Persons with schizophrenia are excluded from psychedelic-assisted therapy due to concerns about the risk of triggering or worsening psychosis. However, there is limited meta-analytic data on the risk of psychedelic-induced psychosis in individuals with pre-existing psychotic disorders. We conducted a systematic review, meta-analysis, and overview of reviews to assess the incidence of...
Journal of Parkinson's disease
March 1, 2025
Vanessa Fleury, Emilie Tomkova, Sabina Catalano Chiuvé et al.
3 citations
BackgroundPsychedelic assisted psychotherapy (PAP) can improve treatment-resistant depression. Its usefulness in Parkinson's disease (PD) is unknown. PD patients may have problems adjusting to their chronic progressive neurological disease. A change from emotional avoidance to acceptance has been reported following psilocybin administration in patients with treatment-resistant...
Revue medicale suisse
January 29, 2025
Yasser Khazaal, Maèva Flayelle, Joël Billieux et al.
Addiction medicine is confronting challenges brought about by changes in our modern world, including shifts in the drug market and the increasing digitalization of our environments. This article highlights some of these challenges and explores potential strategies to address them. The field is also advancing through robust research momentum in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Additionally,...
European Psychiatry
August 27, 2024
Daniele Zullino, Louise Penzenstadler, Stéphane Rothen et al.
Introduction While research on drug use motives has primarily focused on widely used substances like alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis, understanding the motivations behind MDMA use is crucial for developing targeted therapeutic, preventive, and harm reduction strategies. Objectives The objective of this study is to present the findings of an online survey that evaluates the motives behind the use...
Annales Médico-psychologiques revue psychiatrique
July 10, 2024
Federico Seragnoli, Gabriel Thorens, Louise Penzenstadler et al.
8 citations
Dans cet article, nous avons pour objectif de décrire un modèle interdisciplinaire de psychothérapie assistée par psychédéliques (PAP) que nous avons développé dans un cadre institutionnel aux hôpitaux universitaires de Genève. La psychothérapie assistée par psychédéliques (PAP) est une approche psychothérapeutique exploitant l’altération de l’état de conscience induite par une substance...
Revue medicale suisse
February 14, 2024
Aude Molinard-Chenu, Georgios Tsimploulis, Louise Penzenstadler et al.
Psychedelics are emerging as a therapeutic innovation in psychiatry and their use in chronic pain is worth exploring. In fact, they can modulate the serotonergic system, affecting central pain sensitization mechanisms. Ketamine, used for chronic analgesia, can lead to pain reduction, but additional studies are needed to assess its longterm effectiveness. "Classic" psychedelics are recently...
Revue medicale suisse
August 23, 2023
Gabriel Thorens, Louise Penzenstadler, Federico Seragnoli et al.
2 citations
This article proposes 10 points considered essential on the ethics associated with the practice of psychotherapy assisted by psychedelics (PAP) : 1) respect of the legal framework (LStup) of the use of psychotropic drugs ; 2) adequately manage psychedelics (storage, production and safety) ; 3) announce adverse effects to the competent authority ; 4) guarantee a psychotherapeutic follow-up ; 5)...
Research Square (Research Square)
May 12, 2023
Gabriel Thorens, Louise Penzenstadler, Leonice Furtado et al.
Abstract Case report of a patient with GAD and claustrophobia who underwent exposure therapy using psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. The patient had failed to respond to conventional psychotherapeutic treatment. After three sessions of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy, the patient experienced a reduction in anxiety and fear associated with closed spaces, elevators, and planes. The protocol...