Research Square
September 17, 2025
Gisela Lima, Carla Soares, Marta Teixeira et al.
Abstract Reward processing is a broad psychological construct that can be parsed into distinct components known as “reinforcement learning” (learning), “reward responsiveness” (liking), and “motivation to obtain a reward” (wanting). Dysfunctions in reward processing in mesolimbic and mesocortical pathways, are a core feature of many pathologies. Psychedelics have been proposed as a treatment...
Research Square
September 12, 2025
Christina Chwyl, Angelica Spata, Will Lucas et al.
Abstract Background Self-transcendent and mystical experiences may be key mechanisms underlying psychedelics’ therapeutic effects, yet how these experiences differ across substances remains unclear. This study compared mystical and self-transcendent experiences across psilocybin, 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and cannabis in a diverse, community-based sample, while accounting for...
Research Square
September 9, 2025
Self-Compassion and Resilience as Mediators of a 30-Day Internet-Delivered Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: A Pragmatic Open Trial
Research Square
August 22, 2025
Richard J. Zeifman, George Danias, Gabrielle Agin-Liebes et al.
2 citations
Abstract Background: Psychedelics can acutely induce mystical experiences and elevated positive mood, which may contribute to the potential benefits of psychedelic therapy. However, there remains limited understanding of the occurrence and importance of specific positive emotional experiences within psychedelic therapy. Therefore, we examined the effects of psychedelics on positive emotional...
Research Square
August 21, 2025
Guy Simon, Nir Tadmor, Michael Skragge et al.
2 citations
Abstract This mixed-methods study investigated the relationship between recalled childhood trauma during psychedelic experiences and subsequent extended psychological difficulties. While psychedelics can facilitate emotional processing of autobiographical material, a minority experience adverse effects or re-traumatization when trauma resurfaces. Phase 1 surveyed 608 individuals who experienced...
Research Square
August 21, 2025
Ritchy Hodebourg, Lillian Duncan, Eric Dereschewitz et al.
The rising legal acceptance of cannabis and the high comorbidity between cannabis use disorder (CUD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) highlight the importance of understanding how stress and cannabis influence the brain. We recently discovered that cannabis use promotes two PTSD-like symptoms: avoidance coping behaviors and the generalization of stress-coping responses to a neutral...
Research Square
August 19, 2025
Abstract Background Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is gaining attention as a potential treatment for cancer-related psychosocial symptoms. While growing evidence highlights its promise, little is known about how different stakeholder groups perceive its use in oncology and palliative care. Objectives This study aimed to assess stakeholder-specific perspectives on PAT, including attitudes,...
Research Square
August 5, 2025
Christina Chwyl, Odin S. Elvenes, Andrew S. R. Kleven et al.
2 citations
Abstract Background Psychedelic integration is widely acknowledged as essential, yet limited empirical data exists on challenges faced during integration. Objective To explore therapists' perspectives on post-psychedelic integration challenges and their approaches to supporting clients. Methods Online interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of licensed mental health professionals who...
Research Square
July 27, 2025
Klemens Egger, Robert Bozsak, Helena Aicher et al.
1 citation
Global Increases in Brain Glucose Metabolism Following Acute N,N-Dimethyltryptamine and Harmine Administration in Healthy Volunteers: An [¹⁸F]FDG-PET Study
Research Square
July 25, 2025
Vítor Bruno, Lídia Emmanuela Wiazowski Spelta, Matheus Lujan Pereira et al.
Abstract Ayahuasca is a psychedelic brew used for centuries in religious rituals by indigenous cultures. Recent studies suggest its potential to reduce depression and anxiety and as an alternative for treating ethanol and tobacco use disorders. However, research on its impact on cocaine use disorder remains limited. We investigated the effects of ayahuasca on the reinstatement of...
Research Square
July 8, 2025
Abstract Understanding disorders of consciousness (DOC) remains one of the most challenging problems in neuroscience, hindered by the lack of experimental models for probing mechanisms or testing interventions. To address this, we introduce a generative adversarial AI framework that pits deep neural networks—trained to detect consciousness across over 680,000 neuroelectrophysiology samples and...
Research Square
July 4, 2025
Erika Blair, David Chester
People frequently turn to others to help regulate their emotions in what is referred to as inter personal emotion regulation (IER). Mindfulness entails an intra personal strategy of turning inward to facilitate emotion regulation. Yet little research has examined the relationships between these distinct regulation strategies and their consequences for aggression. The current study aims to...
Research Square
June 29, 2025
Revisiting the Unusual: Investigating the Prevalence and Validity of Nonordinary Experiences as a Window into Consciousness
Research Square
June 27, 2025
preprint
Integrating a Unique Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Training into the First-Year Medical Student Curriculum
Research Square
June 9, 2025
Structural and Semantic Speech Graph Analysis of Dream Reports in Congenitally and Late Blind Individuals
Research Square
June 4, 2025
Isaac N Treves, Ya-Yun Chen, Caitlyn L Wilson et al.
Mindfulness meditation training may cultivate interoceptive awareness and provide therapeutic benefit when implemented within mental and physical health interventions. This pre-registered meta-analysis evaluated the impact of mindfulness interventions on self-reported interoception measures and associated relationships with psychological outcomes. Twenty-nine randomized controlled trials with...
Research Square
May 13, 2025
Eirini K. Argyri, Joy Krecké, Oliver Robinson et al.
2 citations
Abstract Background As the use of psychedelics increases in both therapeutic and non-clinical settings, reports of extended post-experience difficulties have also emerged. While many individuals integrate their experiences effectively, others face persistent challenges. Despite growing recognition of these issues, there is limited research on best practices for mitigating and addressing...
Research Square
May 6, 2025
Zitong Wang, Brett Robbins, Ryan Zhuang et al.
Abstract Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability that affects over 300 million people globally. Despite multiple antidepressant trials, approximately one-third of MDD patients remain symptomatic, progressing to treatment-resistant depression (TRD). This persistence possibly is due to the multifaceted etiology of TRD, encompassing biological, psychological, and...
Research Square
May 6, 2025
Benjamin J. B. Bréant, José Prius-Mengual, Alexander Andrews et al.
Abstract Psychedelics lead to profound changes in subjective experience and behaviour, which are typically conceptualised in psychological terms rather than corresponding to an altered brain state or a distinct state of arousal. Here, we performed chronic electrophysiological recordings from the neocortex concomitant with pupillometry in freely moving adult male mice following an injection of a...
Research Square
April 28, 2025
Yi Wang, Tianjie Li, Erin S. Reynolds et al.
Abstract PcncAAAD is a calcium-activatable noncanonical aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AAAD) featuring a unique appendage C-terminal domain (CTD) and two metal-binding sites. In this study, we establish an in silico RMSD-based evaluation model through molecular dynamics simulations, validated by in vitro enzyme assays, to decipher the enzyme’s calcium activation mechanism. Between the two...
Research Square
April 16, 2025
Jino Park, Rufus Banks, Akul Munjal et al.
Abstract Background Comorbid mental health symptoms impact 30–40% of cancer patients, significantly compromising treatment adherence and increasing mortality rates. Among patients undergoing radiation therapy, which is delivered with palliative intent in nearly half of all cases and for those nearing end-of-life, these rates may be even higher. Emerging research underscores the promising...
Research Square
March 31, 2025
Eirini K. Argyri, Flora Fraser, Stefan Schilling et al.
Abstract Psychedelic substances are increasingly recognized for their potential to catalyse transformative shifts in worldviews. Central to these transformations are states of awe, a self-transcendent, epistemic emotion. This mixed-methods study explored how awe during psychedelic trips relates to lasting changes in boundaries between self and world, and epistemic shifts that follow...
Research Square
March 5, 2025
Expedito Do Nascimento Júnior, Luiz Pereira, Wigínio Lira-Bandeira et al.
Abstract Depression remains a debilitating mental health disorder affecting millions worldwide, with growing prevalence among adolescents. Recent studies highlight the critical role of the somatosensory cortex in the neuropathology of depression, including structural alterations that impair cortical function. This study investigates the prophylactic effects of ayahuasca, a traditional...
Research Square
February 13, 2025
Ayanna K. Bell, Bianca R. Watt, Arturo S. Lopez Flores et al.
1 citation
Abstract Background Cultural biases within healthcare systems result in inequitable treatment, harms, and mistrust—particularly for individuals with marginalized identities. Cultural humility training is dynamic, reflective, and emphasizes person-centered care and mutual respect. Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is an emerging modality for treating psychiatric disorders. Practice manuals and...
Research Square
January 30, 2025
A scoping review on randomized controlled trials investigating effects of breathwork in women with breast cancer