Scientific Reports
April 15, 2026
Jacob S. Aday, Nicolas G. Glynos, Anne Baker et al.
Psychedelic drugs show promise in facilitating a variety of long-term psychological changes, but they may also lead to unexpected major life changes that have not been captured by measures typically used in clinical trials. The Psychedelic-related Major Life Changes Questionnaire ( P-MLCQ ) was created to assess psychedelic-related major life changes across 10 different domains and evaluated in...
Drug Science, Policy and Law
2026
Jacob S. Aday, Zoe Zong, Jonathan Song et al.
The Five Dimensional Altered States of Consciousness (5D-ASC) Rating Scale is a self-report measure used to characterize changes in consciousness induced by pharmacological (e.g., psychedelics) and non-pharmacological methods (e.g., meditation), and predict clinical outcomes. Although it has been widely used with English-speaking participants, there is no version that has been adapted for...
SSRN Electronic Journal
2026
Dennis Parker Kelley, Gabriel Sturm, Katy Venable et al.
Serotonergic psychedelics produce therapeutic effects in clinical trials of diverse neuropsychiatric disorders, and preclinical models of inflammatory, cardiometabolic, and neuropsychiatric diseases. These effects appear largely mediated by the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR). How could psychedelics elicit transdiagnostic therapeutic effects through a single receptor across tissues as...
Scientific Reports
November 29, 2025
Leehe Peled-Avron, Jacob S. Aday, Madeline M. Pantoni et al.
1 citation
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is an amphetamine derivative known as an "entactogen," influencing emotional and social processing. Phase III clinical trials of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder have reported promising results, and MDMA-assisted therapy is currently under regulatory review. However, the precise mechanisms underlying positive treatment...
September 7, 2025
Mathew Herbert, Brian H. Blanco, Dimitri Perivoliotis et al.
preprint
There is promise for 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assistedpsychotherapy as a highly effective and durable treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD). However, the Food and Drug Administration rejected MDMA-assisted psychotherapy inits current form, expressing concerns about the lack of standardization and empirical basis ofpsychotherapy methods. This highlights the need to...
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
April 9, 2025
Ellen Bradley, Kimberly Sakai, Gisele Fernandes-Osterhold et al.
23 citations
Mood dysfunction is highly prevalent in Parkinson's disease (PD), a main predictor of functional decline, and difficult to treat-novel interventions are critically needed. Psilocybin shows early promise for treating depression and anxiety, but its potential in PD is unknown, as safety concerns have excluded people with neurodegenerative disease from previous trials. In this open-label pilot...
Psychiatry Research
March 1, 2025
Stephanie L. Haft, Amanda E. Downey, Marissa Raymond-Flesch et al.
22 citations
A lack of diverse and representative participant samples in mental health intervention research perpetuates mental health disparities. This issue has become a salient concern in studies of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAT), which is emerging as a promising mental health intervention. This systematic review evaluates the reporting, representation, and analysis of participant...
Psychopharmacology
August 1, 2024
Jacob S. Aday, David Horton, Gisele Fernandes-Osterhold et al.
39 citations
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) has emerged as a potential treatment for a variety of mental health conditions, including substance use disorders and depression. Current models of PAP emphasize the importance of psychotherapeutic support before, during, and after ingestion of a psychedelic to maximize safety and clinical benefit. Despite this ubiquitous assumption, there has been...
Psychopharmacology
August 1, 2024
Kimberly Sakai, Ellen Bradley, Joseph A. Zamaria et al.
10 citations
Treatments with the serotonergic psychedelic psilocybin are being investigated for multiple neuropsychiatric disorders. Because many patients with these disorders use selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), understanding interactions between psilocybin and SSRIs is critical for evaluating the safety, efficacy, and scalability of psilocybin-based treatments. Current knowledge about...
Front Psychiatry
June 10, 2024
Leehe Peled-Avron, Jacob S. Aday, Amilia Lydia Kalafateli et al.
2 citations
Editorial: Down the rabbit hole - the psychological and neural mechanisms of psychedelic compounds and their use in treating mental health and medical conditions.
Journal of Eating Disorders
April 24, 2024
Amanda E. Downey, Anita V. Chaphekar, Joshua Woolley et al.
13 citations
Clinical trials using psilocybin therapy to treat anorexia nervosa (AN) are currently underway. The safety and tolerability of psilocybin is of utmost importance in individuals with AN who may present unique medical vulnerabilities. The purpose of this review is to describe how the common physiologic adverse effects of psilocybin may impact medical complications experienced by individuals with...
Psychedelic Medicine
February 28, 2024
Joshua Woolley, Amanda E. Downey, Ellen Bradley et al.
2 citations
Balancing the need for effective treatments against the potential for serious adverse events in those undergoing psilocybin therapy with a family history of BD, we argue for caution in psychedelic clinical trials but not outright exclusion of these individuals. Our risk stratification tool allows for more nuanced inclusion and exclusion criteria.
JAMA
August 31, 2023
Charles L. Raison, Gerard Sanacora, Joshua Woolley et al.
493 citations
Importance Psilocybin shows promise as a treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). Objective To evaluate the magnitude, timing, and durability of antidepressant effects and safety of a single dose of psilocybin in patients with MDD. Design, Setting, and Participants In this phase 2 trial conducted between December 2019 and June 2022 at 11 research sites in the US, participants were...
International Journal of Eating Disorders
August 8, 2023
Maxine Boyd, Joshua Woolley, Amanda E. Downey et al.
7 citations
Abstract Objective This study invited providers who care for patients with eating disorders to inform engagement, communication, and collaboration with psilocybin‐assisted psychotherapy interventions. Method Medical and mental health providers who treat patients with eating disorders were recruited via professional referral networks and participant driven sampling from across California to...
Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing)
July 1, 2023
Jennifer Mitchell, Michael P. Bogenschutz, Alia Lilienstein et al.
97 citations
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) presents a major public health problem for which currently available treatments are modestly effective. We report the findings of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-site phase 3 clinical trial (NCT03537014) to test the efficacy and safety of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy for the treatment of patients with...
June 7, 2023
Jacob S. Aday, Emily K. Bloesch, Alan K. Davis et al.
1 citation
preprint
Ayahuasca is a psychedelic brew that has been the focus of an increasing number of investigations for its potential therapeutic effects. In addition to psychiatric improvements, qualitative studies and anecdotal reports suggest that ayahuasca use may influence gratitude and relationships with nature. Yet, to date, these specific changes have been understudied. Here, participants (N = 54)...
JAMA Psychiatry
June 1, 2023
Jacob S. Aday, Robin Carhart-Harris, Joshua Woolley
48 citations
Emerging Challenges for Psychedelic Therapy.
May 15, 2023
Jacob S. Aday, Emily K. Bloesch, Alan K. Davis et al.
3 citations
preprint
Psychedelic drugs are currently being investigated for their potential to facilitate a variety of long-lasting psychological changes. One area of psychological functioning that has yet to be systematically investigated in psychedelic research regards aesthetic experiences. This is surprising given the notable acute changes in perception induced by the drugs as well as the wealth of anecdotal...
Psychedelic Medicine
February 16, 2023
Zachary Skiles, Noa Eaton, Lisa Fredenburg et al.
49 citations
Background: An emerging controversy in psychedelic therapy regards the appropriateness or necessity of psychedelic therapists having personal experience using psychedelics themselves. Although there are a number of potential advantages and disadvantages to personal use among psychedelic therapists, no studies to date have measured their use or other aspects of their training. Materials and...
Psychopharmacology
April 1, 2022
Jacob S. Aday, Boris D. Heifets, Steven D. Pratscher et al.
214 citations
RationalePsychedelic research continues to garner significant public and scientific interest with a growing number of clinical studies examining a wide range of conditions and disorders. However, expectancy effects and effective condition masking have been raised as critical limitations to the interpretability of the research.ObjectiveIn this article, we review the many methodological...
Journal of Affective Disorders Reports
September 22, 2021
David E. Gard, Mollie Pleet, Ellen Bradley et al.
33 citations
Growing evidence suggests that psilocybin, the active ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms, can rapidly and durably improve symptoms of depression, leading to recent breakthrough status designation by the FDA and legalization for mental health treatment in some jurisdictions. Depression in bipolar disorder is associated with significant morbidity and has few effective treatments. However,...
Nature Medicine
June 1, 2021
Jennifer Mitchell, Michael P. Bogenschutz, Alia Lilienstein et al.
965 citations
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) presents a major public health problem for which currently available treatments are modestly effective. We report the findings of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-site phase 3 clinical trial (NCT03537014) to test the efficacy and safety of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy for the treatment of patients with...
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science
December 9, 2020
Christopher S. Stauffer, B. Anderson, Kile Ortigo et al.
65 citations
Attachment insecurity is determined early in life, is a risk factor for psychopathology, and can be measured on two separate continuous dimensions: attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. Therapeutic changes toward more secure attachment correlate with reduction in psychiatric symptoms. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy has demonstrated promise in the treatment of psychopathology, such as...
EClinicalMedicine
September 24, 2020
B. Anderson, Alicia Danforth, Prof Robert Daroff et al.
271 citations
BACKGROUND: Psilocybin therapy has shown promise as a rapid-acting treatment for depression, anxiety, and demoralization in patients with serious medical illness (e.g., cancer) when paired with individual psychotherapy. This study assessed the safety and feasibility of psilocybin-assisted group therapy for demoralization in older long-term AIDS survivor (OLTAS) men, a population with a high...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 15, 2019
Alexander Trope, B. Anderson, Andrew R. Hooker et al.
113 citations
Contemporary research with classic psychedelic drugs (e.g., lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin) is indebted to the twentieth-century researchers and clinicians who generated valuable clinical knowledge of these substances through experimentation. Several recent reviews that highlight the contributions of this early literature have focused on psychedelic-assisted individual...