Abstract Rationale: Individual variability in psilocybin response is a major challenge for psychedelic-assisted therapy, with structural brain features potentially serving as predictive biomarkers. Lewis et al. (2020) reported that rostral anterior cingulate cortex thickness predicted emotional experiences under psilocybin, suggesting cortical morphometry as a marker of psychedelic...
Research SquareSeptember 23, 2025Theresa Rieger, Josefine Feuerstein, Niko A Busch et al.
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Abstract The visual awareness negativity (VAN) has been identified as a potential neuronal correlate of consciousness (NCC). The VAN is typically found when comparing experimental trials in which a stimulus was perceived with trials in which the same stimulus was not perceived. However, if the VAN represents a reliable NCC, it should also be observed under conditions in which participants...
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...
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...
Abstract Objectives Emotional distress, encompassing stress, anxiety, and depression, is highly prevalent and associated with substantial personal and societal burden. While Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is an established intervention, its accessibility is often limited by program length, delivery format, and resource demands. Brief, minimally guided, internet-delivered MBCT...
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...
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 SquareAugust 21, 2025Ritchy Hodebourg, Lillian Duncan, Eric Dereschewitz et al.
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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...
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,...
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...
Abstract Classical psychedelics such N,N -dimethyltryptamine (DMT), psilocybin, and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) modulate consciousness via serotonergic receptor agonism, and are increasingly investigated for their psychotherapeutic potential. When combined with the monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitor harmine—mimicking the pharmacological profile of ayahuasca—oral DMT induces a...
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...
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...
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...
Abstract Consciousness research has largely overlooked systematic examination of nonordinary experiences (NOEs) in the general population. Such experiences are subjectively marked as unusual or special compared to mundane ones, are challenging to quantify and disciplinary biases complicate accurate assessments of population-wide prevalence rates. Using descriptive, non-judgmental phrasing of...
Research SquareJune 27, 2025Kim Meeks, Olivia Penela, Gautham Mudireddy et al.
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Abstract Objective: To describe and evaluate MeditateMD’s effectiveness in reducing perceived stress among first-year students and to examine its feasibility when integrated into a medical school curriculum. Methods: In 2024, eight first-year students from School of Medicine participated in the program, undergoing pre-, immediate post-, and three-month post-training Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)...
Abstract Background: Visual input is thought to influence spatial cognition and language. While blind individuals often rely on egocentric spatial representations, it remains unclear whether and how visual deprivation affects dream-related language. This study applied speech graph analysis (SGA) to investigate linguistic differences in dream reports from congenitally blind (CB), late blind...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 SquareApril 16, 2025Jino Park, Rufus Banks, Akul Munjal et al.
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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...
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 SquareMarch 12, 2025Ping Zhang, Ruoyi Liao, Rong Wu et al.
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Abstract Background: Exploring the relationship between nurses' innovativeness and knowledge-concealing behaviors and self-transcendence in teaching hospitals in Changsha City,Further analysis of the mediating role of knowledge hiding behavior in self-transcendence and innovativeness，informing the development of interventions to promote innovativeness among nurses in Changsha City. Methods:...