Research published in Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)

Up: The rise of nitrous oxide abuse. An international survey of contemporary nitrous oxide use.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) April 2016 Stephen J. Kaar, Jason Ferris, Jon Waldron et al.

In recent years the recreational use of inhaled nitrous oxide gas (N2O) is becoming increasingly popular, yet little is known about the characteristics of its users or the effects they experience. This paper presents original research from the 2014 Global Drug Survey (GDS) (n=74,864). GDS runs the largest survey of recreational drug use in the world. The findings confirm N2O as a very common...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881116632375 Full text Nitrous oxide Addictions Anaesthetic Drugs of misuse +1

Noribogaine reduces nicotine self-administration in rats.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) June 1, 2015 Qing Chang, Taleen Hanania, Deborah C. Mash et al. 26 citations

Noribogaine, a polypharmacological drug with activities at opioid receptors, ionotropic nicotinic receptors, and serotonin reuptake transporters, has been investigated for treatment of substance abuse-related disorders. Smoking cessation has major benefits for both individuals and society, therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of noribogaine for use as a treatment for...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881115584461 Full text Food self-administration Nicotine addiction treatment Noribogaine pharmacology Behavioral specificity

The subjective experience of acute, experimentally-induced Salvia divinorum inebriation.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) April 1, 2015 Peter H. Addy, Albert Garcia‐romeu, Matthew Metzger et al. 38 citations

This study examined the overall psychological effects of inebriation facilitated by the naturally-occurring plant hallucinogen Salvia divinorum using a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Thirty healthy individuals self-administered Salvia divinorum via combustion and inhalation in a quiet, comfortable research setting. Experimental sessions, post-session interviews, and 8-week...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881115570081 Full text Salvia divinorum Salvinorin a Hallucinogens Kappa +6

Classic psychedelic use is associated with reduced psychological distress and suicidality in the United States adult population.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) March 1, 2015 Peter S. Hendricks, Christopher B Thorne, C Brendan Clark et al. 377 citations

Mental health problems are endemic across the globe, and suicide, a strong corollary of poor mental health, is a leading cause of death. Classic psychedelic use may occasion lasting improvements in mental health, but the effects of classic psychedelic use on suicidality are unknown. We evaluated the relationships of classic psychedelic use with psychological distress and suicidality among over...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881114565653 Full text Lysergic acid diethylamide Psilocybin Psychedelic Hallucinogen +3

Treating drug dependence with the aid of ibogaine: a retrospective study.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) November 1, 2014 Eduardo Ekman Schenberg, Maria Angélica de Castro Comis, Bruno Rasmussen Chaves et al. 110 citations

Ibogaine is an alkaloid purported to be an effective drug dependence treatment. However, its efficacy has been hard to evaluate, partly because it is illegal in some countries. In such places, treatments are conducted in underground settings where fatalities have occurred. In Brazil ibogaine is unregulated and a combined approach of psychotherapy and ibogaine is being practiced to treat...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881114552713 Full text Dependence Cocaine Crack Ibogaine treatment +1

The NBOMe hallucinogenic drug series: Patterns of use, characteristics of users and self-reported effects in a large international sample.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) August 1, 2014 Will Lawn, Monica J Barratt, Martin L Williams et al.

The NBOMe compounds are a novel series of hallucinogenic drugs that are potent agonists of the 5-HT2A receptor, have a short history of human consumption and are available to buy online, in most countries. In this study, we sought to investigate the patterns of use, characteristics of users and self-reported effects. A cross-sectional anonymous online survey exploring the patterns of drug use...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881114523866 Full text Demographics Nbome Hallucinogen Internet drug market +8

Durability of improvement in post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and absence of harmful effects or drug dependency after 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy: a prospective long-term follow-up study.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) 2013 Michael C Mithoefer, Mark T Wagner, Ann T Mithoefer et al. 377 citations

We report follow-up data evaluating the long-term outcomes for the first completed trial of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy for chronic, treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Mithoefer et al., 2011). All of the 19 subjects who received MDMA-assisted treatment in the original trial participated in the long-term follow-up (LTFU), with 16 out of...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881112456611 Full text Psychedelic therapy MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy MDMA Therapy Ecstasy therapy +18

4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B): presence in the recreational drug market in Spain, pattern of use and subjective effects.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) July 1, 2012 Fernando Caudevilla-Gálligo, Jordi Riba, Mireia Ventura et al. 99 citations

4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B) is a psychoactive analogue of mescaline that is becoming increasingly popular as a rave and club drug. We investigated its presence in the illicit drug market in Spain, its pattern of use and profile of subjective effects. Drug material was analysed for 2C-B and information on pattern of use and subjective effects was obtained from recreational users....

DOI: 10.1177/0269881111431752 Full text 2c-b drug Synthetic drug 2c-b 2c-b substance Drug trends +18

Lack of effect of ketamine on cortical glutamate and glutamine in healthy volunteers: a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) May 2012 Matthew J Taylor, Eleanor R Tiangga, Roísín Ní Mhuircheartaigh et al.

Ketamine is a N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) antagonist that has been associated with temporary clinical improvement in patients with depression. Studies using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) have shown that major depression is associated with decreased levels of glutamate and glutamine (Glx) in the anterior cingulate cortex, which normalize with clinical recovery. The present study...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881111405359 Full text

Effects of lamotrigine on PCP-evoked elevations in monoamine levels in the medial prefrontal cortex of freely moving rats.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) December 1, 2011 Davide Quarta, Charles H Large

Lamotrigine is suggested to have potential as an add-on treatment for patients with schizophrenia. Supporting evidence comes from the efficacy of the drug in models of psychotic-like behaviour induced by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, such as phencyclidine (PCP). These drugs enhance levels of the monoamines in the cortex, which may contribute to their psychotomimetic effects....

DOI: 10.1177/0269881110385598 Full text

Salvia divinorum use and phenomenology: results from an online survey.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) November 1, 2011 Harry Sumnall, Fiona Measham, Simon D. Brandt et al. 38 citations

Salvia divinorum is a hallucinogenic plant with ethnopharmacological and recreational uses. It differs from classic serotonergic hallucinogens such as LSD and psilocin in both phenomenology and potent agonist activity of the active component salvinorin A at κ-opioid receptors. Awareness of S. divinorum has grown recently, with both an increase in its public representation and concern over its...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881110385596 Full text Salvia divinorum Hallucinogenic plant Psychoactive plant User experiences +15

Novel object recognition memory: measurement issues and effects of MDMA self-administration following short inter-trial intervals.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) August 2011 Susan Schenk, David N. Harper, Jennifer Do

The present study was undertaken to examine effects of self-administered MDMA on novel object exploration (NOR) memory. Self-administration was conducted during daily 2 h tests that continued until a total of 165 mg/kg was self-administered (range = 13-41 days for individual rats). Control rats were placed in the self-administration boxes during daily sessions but did not receive any drug. One...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881110389213 Full text

Nabilone produces marked impairments to cognitive function and changes in subjective state in healthy volunteers.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) November 2010 K A Wesnes, P Annas, C J Edgar et al.

This was a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, crossover study of the acute cognitive and subjective effects of nabilone 1-3 mg in healthy male volunteers. The Cognitive Drug Research computerised system (CDR system) was used to assess changes in attention, working and episodic memory. In addition, a number of self-ratings were conducted including those of mood, alertness and...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881109105900 Full text

mCPP: an undesired addition to the ecstasy market.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) September 2010 Matthijs G. Bossong, Tibor M Brunt, J P Van Dijk et al.

A new ecstasy-like substance, meta-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP), has been detected in street drugs in the Netherlands. Theoretically, mCPP possesses the potential to become a non-neurotoxic alternative for methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), the regular psychoactive substance of ecstasy. Since its introduction on the Dutch market of synthetic drugs, the percentage of mCPP-containing tablets...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881109102541 Full text

NMDA receptor antagonists augment antidepressant-like effects of lithium in the mouse forced swimming test.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) April 2010 M Ghasemi, M Raza, A R Dehpour

Although there is evidence of the involvement of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR) in the action of lithium, its role in the antidepressant effects of lithium in a behavioural model remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated the effects of NMDAR antagonists on the antidepressant-like effects of lithium in the mouse forced swimming test. Lithium (30 and 100 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly (P <...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881109104845 Full text

Inhibition of THC-induced effects on the central nervous system and heart rate by a novel CB1 receptor antagonist AVE1625.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) March 2010 L Zuurman, C Roy, R C Schoemaker et al.

CB1 antagonists such as AVE1625 are potentially useful in the treatment of obesity, smoking cessation and cognitive impairment. Proof of pharmacological action of AVE1625 in the brain can be given by antagonising the effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a CB1/CB2 agonist. Inhibition of THC-induced effects by AVE1625 was observed on Visual Analogue Scales 'alertness', 'feeling high',...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881108096509 Full text

Is emotional intelligence impaired in ecstasy-polydrug users?

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) February 2010 L Craig, John E. Fisk, C Montgomery et al.

Previous findings report use of the drug ecstasy (MDMA) to be associated with lower emotional intelligence (EI), and compromised functioning in brain areas responsible for emotion. This study explored the relationship between ecstasy use, EI, mood and parenting styles. Questionnaire measures of drug use, lifestyle, parenting style and EI were obtained, with separate IQ measures for fluid...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881108095713 Full text

Neuroendocrine and subjective responses to pharmacological challenge with citalopram: a controlled study in male and female ecstasy/MDMA users.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) September 2009 K Allott, B K Canny, J H Broadbear et al.

Despite evidence that +/-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 'ecstasy') causes persistent alterations to the serotonergic system of animals, evidence for long-term neurological effects of ecstasy/MDMA in humans remains equivocal. The current study assessed serotonin functioning of nine male and 11 female recreational ecstasy polydrug users by measuring neuroendocrine (prolactin, cortisol)...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881108092336 Full text

Reduced memory and attention performance in a population-based sample of young adults with a moderate lifetime use of cannabis, ecstasy and alcohol.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) July 2009 F Indlekofer, M Piechatzek, M Daamen et al.

Regular use of illegal drugs is suspected to cause cognitive impairments. Two substances have received heightened attention: 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or 'ecstasy') and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC or 'cannabis'). Preclinical evidence, as well as human studies examining regular ecstasy consumers, indicated that ecstasy use may have negative effects on learning, verbal memory...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881108091076 Full text

Neurocognitive performance during acute THC intoxication in heavy and occasional cannabis users.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) May 2009 J G Ramaekers, G Kauert, E L Theunissen et al.

Performance impairment during Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) intoxication has been well described in occasional cannabis users. It is less clear whether tolerance develops to the impairing effects of THC in heavy users of cannabis. The aim of the present study was to assess neurocognitive performance during acute THC intoxication in occasional and heavy users. Twenty-four subjects (12...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881108092393 Full text

Evidence for selective executive function deficits in ecstasy/polydrug users.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) January 2009 John E. Fisk, C Montgomery

Previous research has suggested that the separate aspects of executive functioning are differentially affected by ecstasy use. Although the inhibition process appears to be unaffected by ecstasy use, it is unclear whether this is true of heavy users under conditions of high demand. Tasks loading on the updating process have been shown to be adversely affected by ecstasy use. However, it remains...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881108089815 Full text

Modelling of the concentration--effect relationship of THC on central nervous system parameters and heart rate -- insight into its mechanisms of action and a tool for clinical research and development of cannabinoids.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) September 2008 A Strougo, L Zuurman, C Roy et al.

Pharmacokinetics after pulmonary administration of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its major metabolites 11-OH-THC and 11-nor-9-COOH-THC was quantified. Additionally, the relationship between THC and its effects on heart rate, body sway and several visual analogue scales was investigated using pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) modelling. This provided insights useful for the...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881108089870 Full text

Effect of intrapulmonary tetrahydrocannabinol administration in humans.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) September 2008 L Zuurman, C Roy, R C Schoemaker et al.

This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study was designed to identify which pharmacodynamic parameters most accurately quantify the effects of delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the predominantly psychoactive component of cannabis. In addition, we investigated the acceptability and usefulness of a novel mode of intrapulmonary THC administration using a Volcano vaporizer...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881108089581 Full text

A study investigating the acute dose-response effects of 13 mg and 17 mg Delta 9- tetrahydrocannabinol on cognitive-motor skills, subjective and autonomic measures in regular users of marijuana.

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) June 2008 A Weinstein, O Brickner, H Lerman et al.

Heavy use of marijuana is claimed to damage critical skills related to short-term memory, visual scanning and attention. Motor skills and driving safety may be compromised by the acute effects of marijuana. The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of 13 mg and 17 mg Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on skills important for coordinated movement and driving and on subjective...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881108088194 Full text

Do NMDA receptor antagonist models of schizophrenia predict the clinical efficacy of antipsychotic drugs?

Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) May 1, 2007 Charles H Large

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, such as ketamine and phencyclidine, induce perceptual abnormalities, psychosis-like symptoms, and mood changes in healthy humans and patients with schizophrenia. The similarity between NMDA receptor antagonist-induced psychosis and schizophrenia has led to the widespread use of the drugs to provide models to aid the development of novel...

DOI: 10.1177/0269881107077712 Full text

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