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Nimmy Varghese

14 papers in the library · 1,523 citations · publishing 2019-2024

Papers

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Acute dose-dependent effects and self-guided titration of continuous N,N-dimethyltryptamine infusions in a double-blind placebo-controlled study in healthy participants

Neuropsychopharmacology December 19, 2024 Livio Erne, Severin B Vogt, Lorenz Müller et al. 14 citations

Abstract N,N -dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a serotonergic psychedelic that is known for its short-lasting effects when administered intravenously. Several studies have investigated the administration of intravenous boluses or combinations of a bolus and a subsequent continuous infusion. However, data on dose-dependent acute effects and pharmacokinetics of continuous DMT infusions are lacking. We...

Acute effects of R-MDMA, S-MDMA, and racemic MDMA in a randomized double-blind cross-over trial in healthy participants.

Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology December 1, 2024 Isabelle Straumann, Isidora Avedisian, Aaron Klaiber et al. 20 citations

Racemic 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) acutely increases mood, feelings of empathy, trust, and closeness to others and is investigated to assist psychotherapy. Preclinical research indicates that S-MDMA releases monoamines and oxytocin more potently than R-MDMA, whereas R-MDMA more potently stimulates serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine-2A receptors. S-MDMA may have more stimulant...

Acute effects of MDMA and LSD co-administration in a double-blind placebo-controlled study in healthy participants.

Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology December 1, 2023 Isabelle Straumann, Laura Ley, Friederike Holze et al. 41 citations

There is renewed interest in the use of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in psychiatric research and practice. Although acute subjective effects of LSD are mostly positive, negative subjective effects, including anxiety, may occur. The induction of overall positive acute subjective effects is desired in psychedelic-assisted therapy because positive acute experiences are associated with greater...

Comparative acute effects of mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide, and psilocybin in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study in healthy participants.

Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology October 1, 2023 Laura Ley, Friederike Holze, Denis Arikci et al. 127 citations

Mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and psilocybin are classic serotonergic psychedelics. A valid, direct comparison of the effects of these substances is lacking. The main goal of the present study was to investigate potential pharmacological, physiological and phenomenological differences at psychoactive-equivalent doses of mescaline, LSD, and psilocybin. The present study used a...

OR17-01 Novel Provocation Test With MDMA (‘Ecstasy’) Reveals Oxytocin Deficiency As A New Pituitary Entity In Patients With Central Diabetes Insipidus - A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

Journal of the Endocrine Society October 1, 2023 Cihan Atila, Friederike Holze, Rakithan Murugesu et al.

Abstract Disclosure: C. Atila: None. F. Holze: None. R. Murugesu: None. N. Rommers: None. N. Hutter: None. N. Varghese: None. C.O. Sailer: None. A. Eckert: None. M. Heinrichs: None. M. Liechti: None. M. Christ-crain: None. Introduction: Despite adequate treatment, patients with arginine vasopressin deficiency (AVP-D), known as central diabetes insipidus (cDI), often report psychological...

Acute effects of intravenous DMT in a randomized placebo-controlled study in healthy participants.

Translational Psychiatry May 23, 2023 Severin B Vogt, Laura Ley, Livio Erne et al. 85 citations

N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is distinct among classic serotonergic psychedelics because of its short-lasting effects when administered intravenously. Despite growing interest in the experimental and therapeutic use of intravenous DMT, data are lacking on its clinical pharmacology. We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial in 27 healthy participants to test...

Ketanserin Reverses the Acute Response to LSD in a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study in Healthy Participants

The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology November 4, 2022 Aaron Klaiber, Friederike Holze, Ioanna Istampoulouoglou et al. 100 citations

Abstract Background Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is currently being investigated in psychedelic-assisted therapy. LSD has a long duration of acute action of 8–11 hours. It produces its acute psychedelic effects via stimulation of the serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine-2A (HT2A) receptor. Administration of the 5-HT2A antagonist ketanserin before LSD almost fully blocks the acute subjective...

Effects of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine on Conditioned Fear Extinction and Retention in a Crossover Study in Healthy Subjects

Frontiers in Pharmacology July 13, 2022 Patrick Vizeli, Isabelle Straumann, Urs Duthaler et al. 43 citations

Background: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) has shown initial promise as an adjunct in psychotherapy to treat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Its efficacy and safety have been demonstrated across phase I–III studies. However, the mechanism underlying the potential utility of MDMA to treat PTSD in humans has not yet been thoroughly investigated. Preliminary evidence suggests that...

Direct comparison of the acute effects of lysergic acid diethylamide and psilocybin in a double-blind placebo-controlled study in healthy subjects

Neuropsychopharmacology February 25, 2022 Friederike Holze, Laura Ley, Felix Müller et al. 223 citations

Abstract Growing interest has been seen in using lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin in psychiatric research and therapy. However, no modern studies have evaluated differences in subjective and autonomic effects of LSD and psilocybin or their similarities and dose equivalence. We used a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design in 28 healthy subjects (14 women,...

Acute Effects of Psilocybin After Escitalopram or Placebo Pretreatment in a Randomized, Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled, Crossover Study in Healthy Subjects

Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics November 7, 2021 Anna M Becker, Friederike Holze, Tanja Grandinetti et al. 177 citations

The psychedelic psilocybin is being investigated for the treatment of depression and anxiety. Unclear is whether antidepressant treatments interact with psilocybin. The present study used a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, crossover design with two experimental test sessions to investigate the response to psilocybin (25 mg) in healthy subjects after pretreatment with escitalopram or placebo....

Role of the 5-HT2A Receptor in Acute Effects of LSD on Empathy and Circulating Oxytocin

Frontiers in Pharmacology July 13, 2021 Friederike Holze, Isidora Avedisian, Nimmy Varghese et al. 66 citations

The psychedelic lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) has experienced a revival in research, including clinical trials that evaluate LSD-assisted psychotherapy. LSD induces perceptual alterations and influences emotion processing in ways that may support psychotherapy. Here, we investigated the effects of LSD on emotional empathy and mediating role of the serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine-2A (5-HT 2A )...

Acute dose-dependent effects of lysergic acid diethylamide in a double-blind placebo-controlled study in healthy subjects

Neuropsychopharmacology October 15, 2020 Friederike Holze, Patrick Vizeli, Laura Ley et al. 243 citations

Abstract Growing interest has been seen in using lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in psychiatric research and therapy. However, no modern studies have evaluated subjective and autonomic effects of different and pharmaceutically well-defined doses of LSD. We used a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design in 16 healthy subjects (eight women, eight men) who underwent six 25...

Low Doses of LSD Acutely Increase BDNF Blood Plasma Levels in Healthy Volunteers

ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science August 31, 2020 Nadia R. P. W. Hutten, Natasha L. Mason, Patrick C. Dolder et al. 134 citations

Despite preclinical evidence for psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity, confirmation in humans is grossly lacking. Given the increased interest in using low doses of psychedelics for psychiatric indications and the importance of neuroplasticity in the therapeutic response, this placebo-controlled within-subject study investigated the effect of single low doses of LSD (5, 10, and 20 μg) on...

Distinct acute effects of LSD, MDMA, and d-amphetamine in healthy subjects

Neuropsychopharmacology November 16, 2019 Friederike Holze, Patrick Vizeli, Felix Müller et al. 250 citations

Abstract Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a classic psychedelic, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is an empathogen, and d -amphetamine is a classic stimulant. All three substances are used recreationally. LSD and MDMA are being investigated as medications to assist psychotherapy, and d -amphetamine is used for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. All three...