Abstract Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is a novel and promising form of treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, clinicians may experience challenges in interpreting the existing evidence for PAT to make informed decisions about treatment recommendations and selection with their patients. Prior commentators have noted the hype surrounding public discussions of PAT. This...
Purpose A systematic review was conducted to synthesize the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of psychedelics including ketamine, MDMA, ayahuasca, LSD, DMT, ibogaine, and psilocybin in the treatment of PTSD. Recent Findings Among 5,155 studies identified, 42 studies met criteria and were included in our systematic review. Ketamine consistently produced rapid symptom improvement that attenuated...
Abstract Purpose of Review This commentary summarizes how the intense and distinctive subjective effects of psychedelics complicate tests of the efficacy and mechanisms of action (MOAs) of psychedelic-assisted treatments (PATs) for mental-health conditions. Specifically, we discuss (a) how estimates of PAT efficacy are confounded under functional unblinding and (b) uncertainty surrounding...
Abstract Purpose of Review Lifetime exposure to trauma is extremely common, affecting ~ 70% of global population, whereas lifetime prevalence of PTSD is ~ 6%. FDA-approved medications for PTSD have small-medium effect sizes. Trauma-focused psychotherapies are considered first-line treatments and have large effect sizes, but also high rates of dropout and refusal, and most patients retain PTSD...
Abstract Purpose of the review Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a challenging condition characterized by minimal improvement despite two or more antidepressant trials. Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) integrates the rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine with psychotherapy to enhance and sustain therapeutic outcomes. This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of KAP in...
Survivors of childhood maltreatment are at high risk for developing complex psychiatric disorders. Traditional treatments, including psychopharmacology, tend to be less efficacious for this population. This scoping review aimed to discuss existing empirical studies on the effects of mindfulness-based interventions for adult childhood trauma survivors, as well as the documented clinical...
Purpose of review This review summarizes (1) recent trends in delta-9-tetrahydrocannabionol [THC] and cannabidiol (CBD) content in cannabis products, (2) mechanism of action of THC and CBD and the neurobiological correlates of cannabis use on the developing adolescent brain, (3) effects of cannabis on psychiatric symptoms and daily functioning in youth (i.e., academic performance, cognition,...