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Charles S. Grob

Harbor–UCLA Medical Center, UCLA Medical Center

52 papers in the library · 4,126 citations · publishing 1989-2026

Papers

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Psilocybin-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy for major depressive disorder: A pilot trial.

Journal of Affective Disorders June 15, 2026 Marc J. Weintraub, Jessica K Jeffrey, Megan Ichinose et al.

Psilocybin-assisted therapy has emerged as a promising treatment for major depressive disorder, but little attention has been paid to the psychotherapy that adjoins psilocybin. Providing an adjunctive psychotherapy that is manualized and evidence-based may make psilocybin treatment more acceptable, effective, and disseminable. We examined the acceptability, feasibility, and clinical outcomes of...

A model training curriculum for psychedelic, psycholytic, and entactogen-assisted psychotherapy.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) June 10, 2025 Torsten Passie, Anja Loizaga-Velder, Alicia Danforth et al. 4 citations

The authors offer a model for curriculum for education and training in substance-assisted psychotherapy (SAP), that is, psychedelic, psycholytic, and entactogen/MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine)-assisted psychotherapy, addressing both the detailed contents of training and the question of experiential training. All authors of this model have an abiding interest and extensive experience in...

Psilocybin

May 1, 2025 Jessi Humphreys, Lou Lukas, Yvan Beaussant et al.

Abstract Psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychoactive compound found in more than 200 mushroom species, has an enduring history of use in sacred rituals of Indigenous healers worldwide. With selective serotonin receptor binding, activation of the serotonergic neurological system enables psilocybin to potentiate neuroplasticity, enabling individuals to engage in meaning-making from psychedelic...

A Field-Wide Review and Analysis of Study Materials Used in Psilocybin Trials: Assessment of Two Decades of Research

Psychedelic Medicine January 20, 2025 Marianna Graziosi, Gabrielle Agin-Liebes, Mary P Cosimano et al. 9 citations

Introduction: Serotonergic psychedelics, serotonin 2A receptor agonists such as psilocybin that can result in substantially altered states of consciousness, are used in recreational and research settings. The safety of psychedelic experiences in research settings is supported by controlled physical environments, presence of clinical and medical staff to address emergent issues, screening for...

Psychedelic Therapeutics for Adolescents: Ethics, Safety, Opportunities, and Equipoise-Authors' Reply.

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry December 19, 2024 Jessica K Jeffrey, Marc J. Weintraub, Charles S. Grob

We are writing in response to 2 Letters to the Editor, both of which discussed our commentary, entitled "Clinical Research Trials of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy in Adolescents Aged 16 to 17 Years: Rationale Balanced With Caution."1 We appreciate the thoughtful responses to our commentary, and we invite further dialogue about this important subject. Both letters emphasized the importance in...

Clinical Research Trials of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy in Adolescents Aged 16 to 17 Years: Rationale Balanced With Caution.

Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry December 1, 2024 Jessica K Jeffrey, Marc J. Weintraub, Charles S. Grob 12 citations

Youth today are burdened by significant mental health challenges. In 2022, 25% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years experienced a mental illness, with 20% experiencing a depressive episode, 12.5% reporting serious thoughts of suicide, and 17% meeting criteria for a substance use disorder.1 Close to 5% of adolescents experience posttraumatic stress disorder.2 Impairing psychiatric symptoms remain...

Developing an Ethics and Policy Framework for Psychedelic Clinical Care: A Consensus Statement.

JAMA Network Open June 3, 2024 Amy L. Mcguire, I Glenn Cohen, Dominic Sisti et al. 41 citations

As government agencies around the globe contemplate approval of the first psychedelic medicines, many questions remain about their ethical integration into mainstream medical practice. To identify key ethics and policy issues related to the eventual integration of psychedelic therapies into clinical practice. From June 9 to 12, 2023, 27 individuals representing the perspectives of clinicians,...

Psilocybin-Assisted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adults with Major Depressive Disorder: Rationale and Treatment Development

Psychedelic Medicine September 6, 2023 Marc J. Weintraub, Jessica K Jeffrey, Charles S. Grob et al. 4 citations

The trial will provide preliminary data on the feasibility, safety, acceptability, and psychosocial effects of PA-CBT. Results will inform randomized clinical trials to test the effects of PA-CBT for patients with depression and other mental health conditions, as well as hypotheses concerning mediating mechanisms at the cognitive and affective levels. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05227612.

The Safety and Efficacy of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies for Older Adults: Knowns and Unknowns.

The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry 2023 C Bree Johnston, Maria Mangini, Charles S. Grob et al. 33 citations

Psychedelics and related compounds have shown efficacy for the treatment of a variety of conditions that are prevalent among older adults, including mood disorders, the psychological distress associated with a serious medical illness, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and prolonged grief disorder. Psychedelics also have properties that could help provide therapeutic benefits for patients...

Psychedelic Science, Contemplative Practices, and Indigenous and Other Traditional Knowledge Systems: Towards Integrative Community-Based Approaches in Global Health.

Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 2023 Julian Urrutia, Brian T Anderson, Sean J Belouin et al. 21 citations

As individuals and communities around the world confront mounting physical, psychological, and social threats, three complimentary mind-body-spirit pathways toward health, wellbeing, and human flourishing remain underappreciated within conventional practice among the biomedical, public health, and policy communities. This paper reviews literature on psychedelic science, contemplative practices,...

If the Doors of Perception Were Cleansed, Would Chronic Pain be Relieved? Evaluating the Benefits and Risks of Psychedelics.

The journal of pain October 1, 2022 Robert H. Dworkin, Brian T Anderson, Nick Andrews et al. 22 citations

Psychedelic substances have played important roles in diverse cultures, and ingesting various plant preparations to evoke altered states of consciousness has been described throughout recorded history. Accounts of the subjective effects of psychedelics typically focus on spiritual and mystical-type experiences, including feelings of unity, sacredness, and transcendence. Over the past 2 decades,...

Policy considerations that support equitable access to responsible, accountable, safe, and ethical uses of psychedelic medicines

Neuropharmacology August 13, 2022 Ingrid Donato, Veronica Magar, Sean J Belouin et al. 49 citations

There is mounting evidence suggesting psychedelic and entactogen medicines (namely psilocybin and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine [MDMA]), in conjunction with proper psychosocial support, hold the potential to provide safe, rapid acting, and robust clinical improvements with durable effects. In the US, both psilocybin and MDMA have been granted Breakthrough Therapy designations by the US Food...

Challenges in translational research: MDMA in the laboratory versus therapeutic settings.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) March 1, 2022 Harriet de Wit, Anya K. Bershad, Charles S. Grob 11 citations

Despite substantial progress in the use of mind-altering drugs to treat psychiatric disorders, the psychological processes through which these drugs change mood or behavior are poorly understood. Controlled laboratory studies with well-defined psychological constructs are valuable to understand how these drugs manifest their therapeutic benefit. However, there are substantial methodological...

Mapping an Agenda for Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Research in Patients with Serious Illness.

J Palliat Med April 13, 2021 Yvan Beaussant, James A. Tulsky, Benjamin Guérin et al. 34 citations

Background: With support from the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, we convened researchers representing palliative care, psychosocial oncology, spiritual care, oncology, and psychedelic-assisted therapies. We aimed to define priorities and envision an agenda for future research on psychedelic-assisted therapies in patients with serious illness. Over two days in...

The Return of Psychedelics: A Measured Approach

Psychiatric News April 1, 2021 Charles S. Grob

Back to table of contents Previous article ViewpointsFull AccessThe Return of Psychedelics: A Measured ApproachCharles S. Grob, M.D.Charles S. GrobSearch for more papers by this author, M.D.Published Online:31 Mar 2021https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2021.4.9AbstractAfter decades of quiescence, psychedelics are back and making quite a ruckus. In the 1950s and 1960s, a flurry of cutting-edge...

Reduction in social anxiety after MDMA-assisted psychotherapy with autistic adults: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study.

Psychopharmacology November 1, 2018 Alicia Danforth, Charles S. Grob, Christopher M Struble et al. 284 citations

Standard therapeutic approaches to reduce social anxiety in autistic adults have limited effectiveness. Since 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy shows promise as a treatment for other anxiety disorders, a blinded, placebo-controlled pilot study was conducted. To explore feasibility and safety of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for reduction of social fear and avoidance...

Hallucinogens: Spiritual and Therapeutic Use, Overuse, and Complications

Integrative Addiction and Recovery September 1, 2018 Charles S. Grob

Abstract A fascinating class of psychoactive substances possessing a long and mysterious history of human use are the classic hallucinogens. Forming a vital component of prehistorical and aboriginal culture and belief systems, hallucinogens were ultimately condemned and repressed by evolving civilizations, only to the “rediscovered” in the 20th century. Of compelling interest to...

Is LSD toxic?

Forensic Science International March 1, 2018 David E Nichols, Charles S. Grob 86 citations

LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) was discovered almost 75 years ago, and has been the object of episodic controversy since then. While initially explored as an adjunctive psychiatric treatment, its recreational use by the general public has persisted and on occasion has been associated with adverse outcomes, particularly when the drug is taken under suboptimal conditions. LSD's potential to...

Novel psychopharmacological therapies for psychiatric disorders: psilocybin and MDMA.

Lancet Psychiatry April 5, 2016 Michael C Mithoefer, Charles S. Grob, Timothy D Brewerton 237 citations

4-phosphorloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (psilocybin) and methylenedioxymethamfetamine (MDMA), best known for their illegal use as psychedelic drugs, are showing promise as therapeutics in a resurgence of clinical research during the past 10 years. Psilocybin is being tested for alcoholism, smoking cessation, and in patients with advanced cancer with anxiety. MDMA is showing encouraging results as...

MDMA-assisted therapy: A new treatment model for social anxiety in autistic adults.

Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry January 4, 2016 Alicia Danforth, Christopher M Struble, Berra Yazar-Klosinski et al. 110 citations

The first study of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy for the treatment of social anxiety in autistic adults commenced in the spring of 2014. The search for psychotherapeutic options for autistic individuals is imperative considering the lack of effective conventional treatments for mental health diagnoses that are common in this population. Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)...

PTSD symptom reports of patients evaluated for the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program.

Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 2014 George Greer, Charles S. Grob, Adam L. Halberstadt

New Mexico was the first state to list post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a condition for the use of medical cannabis. There are no published studies, other than case reports, of the effects of cannabis on PTSD symptoms. The purpose of the study was to report and statistically analyze psychometric data on PTSD symptoms collected during 80 psychiatric evaluations of patients applying to...