Psilocybin, a widely studied psychedelic, may help prevent suicide by interacting with specific proteins in the brain. Using computational methods, researchers identified 46 potential targets linking psilocybin to suicide treatment. Four key targets—HTR2A, HTR2C, HTR7, and PRKACA—showed strong binding to psilocybin. Enrichment analyses indicated that psilocybin might work by modulating serotonergic synapse and calcium signaling pathways. These findings suggest molecular mechanisms through which psilocybin could aid suicide prevention, providing a basis for further investigation.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is common and carries a high suicide risk. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is highly effective but limited by adverse effects; ketamine/esketamine can boost ECT's efficacy and safety but have their own side effects. Binaural beat music (BBM), a non-invasive therapy, may improve mood and assist (es)ketamine. This 2×2 factorial, randomized, blinded clinical trial recruits 476 MDD patients requiring ECT, randomly assigned to four groups: blank sound with saline, blank sound with esketamine, BBM with saline, or BBM with esketamine. The primary outcome is response rate measured by the Hamilton depression scale; secondary outcomes include remission, suicidal ideation, cognitive function, and side effects. The data are expected to show BBM's potential for optimizing ECT strategies and improving patient outcomes.
Miscarriage and the subsequent curettage procedure increase risks of depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Ketamine and its derivative esketamine can prevent postpartum depression and treat depressive symptoms after miscarriage curettage, but side effects limit their use. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) may enhance esketamine's antidepressant effects while reducing its dosage and adverse effects. This 2×2 factorial, double-blinded, randomized controlled trial will recruit 424 women with miscarriage undergoing painless curettage, allocating them equally to four groups: placebo, esketamine alone, vitamin C alone, or vitamin C plus esketamine.
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) reduced worry severity more than online psychoeducation in people with generalized anxiety disorder, but both interventions reduced anxiety to a similar degree overall. Among those who experienced childhood emotional abuse, MBCT was more effective at reducing anxiety than psychoeducation, and also more effective for anxiety in that subgroup compared to those without such abuse. The findings suggest MBCT's effect on anxiety depends on a history of childhood maltreatment, especially emotional abuse.