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Ceyda Sayalı

6 papers in the library · 49 citations · publishing 2023-2026

Papers

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Psilocybin, cognitive stability and drinking reduction in co-occurring alcohol use disorder and depression: a pilot secondary analysis of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial

medRxiv October 29, 2026 Ceyda Sayalı, Eli Weisman, Frederick Streeter Barrett preprint

Background. Change in cognitive control is a candidate transdiagnostic mechanism of psychedelic therapy. One account predicts that, once acute effects resolve, psilocybin shifts control toward flexibility while sparing inhibition and working memory. A motivational account (PRISM) predicts that psilocybin increases the willingness to exert control rather than the ability to do so. We tested both...

Psilocybin-induced neurocardiogenic syncope: a case report.

Psychopharmacology May 28, 2026 Mazen A Atiq, Eli Weisman, Rodrigo B Guerra et al.

Psilocybin is among the serotonergic psychedelics closest to potential FDA approval, with growing evidence of therapeutic benefit across psychiatric conditions. As clinical trials expand, systematic characterization of adverse events (AEs) remains essential. While transient hypertensive responses are well documented, hypotensive events such as neurocardiogenic syncope (NCS) are rarely reported....

Acute Cardiovascular Effects of Psilocybin: A Pooled Analysis of 14 Studies with Safety Recommendations

medRxiv Preprint Server April 28, 2026 Sandeep M. Nayak, Nathan D. Sepeda, Matthew Nielsen Dick et al. preprint

Background Psilocybin has increasingly been studied as a therapeutic for psychiatric and neurologic conditions, yet comprehensive cardiovascular safety data are limited. Current trials often exclude individuals with blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg, criteria established conservatively without robust empirical support.

Learned Helplessness As a Potential Transdiagnostic Therapeutic Mechanism of Classic Psychedelics

Psychedelic Medicine June 1, 2023 Praachi Tiwari, Andrea P Berghella, Ceyda Sayalı et al. 9 citations

Background: Emerging literature suggests that classic psychedelics may have efficacy in treating mood and substance use disorders in humans. This has raised questions regarding the primary therapeutic mechanism of these compounds. Here, we hypothesize that the reversal of and resilience against learned helplessness may be an important driver of the therapeutic mechanisms of classic...

DOI: 10.1089/psymed.2023.0010 (opens in new tab) Full text (opens in new tab) Learned helplessness Mechanism biology Psychotherapist Cognitive psychology +2

The costs and benefits of psychedelics on cognition and mood

Neuron January 20, 2023 Ceyda Sayalı, Frederick S. Barrett 40 citations

Anecdotal evidence has indicated that psychedelic substances may acutely enhance creative task performance, although empirical support for this claim is mixed at best. Clinical research has shown that psychedelics might have enduring effects on mood and well-being. However, there is no neurocognitive framework that ties acute changes in cognition to long-term effects in mood. In this review, we...

DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.12.031 (opens in new tab) Creativity Cognition Neurocognitive Mood +3

Through the PRISM: Reinterpreting Psychedelic Cognition as Motivational Reallocation

Ceyda Sayalı preprint

Classic psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD are known to acutely disrupt executive function, producing impairments in response inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. Paradoxically, these compounds often lead to lasting improvements in cognitive flexibility, insight, and goal-directed behavior in the days and weeks following administration. This apparent contradiction has...