August 29, 2025
David A. Gorelick
The prevalence of cannabis-induced psychosis has increased substantially, possibly due to higher cannabis potency and greater use. Antipsychotic medication reduced hospitalization risk by 25% for psychosis, 25% for substance use disorders, and 50% for medical conditions. For psychosis-related hospitalization, long-acting injectable aripiprazole or olanzapine reduced risk by 75%—twice as...
May 28, 2025
David A. Gorelick
Current evidence remains insufficient to support the use of psychedelics for substance use disorders in routine clinical practice. Psilocybin has the most supportive data for alcohol use disorder, though it is of moderate quality. The evidence quality is generally low, with significant risk of bias due to poor blinding. Only half of identified studies were RCTs, with 44% conducted over 50 years...
April 23, 2024
David A. Gorelick
Psilocybin shows promise for treatment-resistant depression, with rapid onset and long-lasting effects. Psilocybin treatment currently involves extensive psychotherapy sessions, which may limit accessibility and increase costs. The efficacy of psilocybin without concurrent psychotherapy is unknown. Long-term safety risks of psilocybin treatment remain uncertain.
Journal of Analytical Toxicology
March 4, 2015
Nathalie A. Desrosiers, Johannes G. Ramaekers, Émeline Chauchard et al.
136 citations
Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive constituent in cannabis, impairs psychomotor performance, cognition and driving ability; thus, driving under the influence of cannabis is a public safety concern. We documented cannabis' psychomotor, neurocognitive, subjective and physiological effects in occasional and frequent smokers to investigate potential differences between these...
Clinical Chemistry
October 7, 2011
Andrea E. Schwaninger, Markus R Meyer, Allan J. Barnes et al.
33 citations
BACKGROUND 3,4-Methylendioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is excreted in human urine as unchanged drug and phase I and II metabolites. Previous urinary excretion studies after controlled oral MDMA administration have been performed only after conjugate cleavage. Therefore, we investigated intact MDMA glucuronide and sulfate metabolite excretion. METHODS We used LC–high-resolution MS and GC-MS to...
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
October 1, 2011
Allan J. Barnes, Karl B. Scheidweiler, Erin A. Kolbrich-Spargo et al.
22 citations
Oral fluid monitoring efficiently detects single, recreational 70-150 mg of MDMA use for 1-2 days. These controlled administration data provide a scientific basis for interpreting MDMA oral fluid test results.
Biochemical Pharmacology
September 29, 2011
Andrea E. Schwaninger, Markus R Meyer, Allan J. Barnes et al.
23 citations
The R- and S-enantiomers of racemic 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) exhibit different dose-concentration curves. In plasma, S-MDMA was eliminated at a higher rate, most likely due to stereoselective metabolism. Similar data were shown in various in vitro experiments. The aim of the present study was the in vivo investigation of stereoselective elimination of MDMA's phase I and phase II...
Journal of Analytical Toxicology
October 1, 2009
T. T. Abraham, Allan J. Barnes, Richie H. Lowe et al.
56 citations
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), or ecstasy, is excreted as unchanged drug, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and free and glucuronidated/sulfated 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymethamphetamine (HMMA), and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyamphetamine (HMA) metabolites. The aim of this paper is to describe the pattern and timeframe of excretion of MDMA and its metabolites in urine. Placebo, 1.0 mg/kg, and 1.6...
Clinical Chemistry
January 23, 2009
Allan J. Barnes, Bruno Spinosa de Martinis, David A. Gorelick et al.
38 citations
Abstract Background: Understanding the excretion of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and metabolites in sweat is vital for interpretation of sweat tests in drug treatment, criminal justice, and workplace programs. Methods: Placebo, low (1.0 mg/kg), and high (1.6 mg/kg) doses of oral MDMA were given double-blind in random order to healthy volunteers (n = 15) with histories of MDMA use....
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
May 21, 2008
Erin A Kolbrich, Robert S. Goodwin, David A. Gorelick et al.
127 citations
This study examines the plasma pharmacokinetics of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and metabolites 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymethamphetamine (HMMA), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyamphetamine (HMA) in young adults for up to 143 hours after drug administration. Seventeen female and male participants (black, white, and Hispanic) received placebo, low (1.0 mg/kg),...
Psychopharmacology
December 1, 1979
Robert J. Sbordone, Joseph A. Wingard, David A. Gorelick et al.
16 citations
Pairs of male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocin, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), 3,4-dimethoxyphenylethylamine (DMPEA), or 5-hydroxydopamine (5-OHDA) IP prior to being placed in a shock-elicited aggression situation. When foot shock was delivered, controls struck each other with their forepaws, but never engaged in either biting or...
Psychopharmacology
1977
David A. Gorelick, Wagner H. Bridger
9 citations
The effects of mescaline hydrochloride (4.95-79.2 mg/kg i.p.) and its non-hallucinogenic analogue 3,4-dimethoxyphenylethylamine hydrochloride (DMPEA) (12.5-100 mg/kg i.p.) on shock avoidance in a shuttlebox were studied in male Long-Evans rats trained to high (above 88%, good performers) or low (below 6%, poor performers) stable base-line avoidance rates. In good performers, mescaline and DMPEA...
Psychopharmacology
1975
David A. Gorelick, Wagner H. Bridger
5 citations
This experiment is related to the hypothesis of Bridger and of Wray that hallucinogens have facilitatory effects on animal behavior when stress is part of the experiment and have disruptive effects otherwise. Male Long-Evans rats were trained to high (above 89%), stable base line rates of shuttlebox avoidance, then given each of four treatments at 6-day intervals after returning to base line...