Psychopharmacology
August 27, 2026
Frederick S. Barrett, David Wolinsky, Zach Daily et al.
RATIONALE: Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) has been reported to evoke psychedelic-like experiences at high doses in some individuals. However, the doses of Δ9-THC that occasion such effects and the phenomenology of these experiences are poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: This brief report presents preliminary findings from a pilot human laboratory study that directly compared the acute...
Psychopharmacology
August 27, 2026
Shayan Eghdami, Mahsa Boroon, Amir-Abbas Keshavarz-Akhlaghi et al.
Approximately 40-60% of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) fail to respond to standard serotonergic and behavioral therapies. This systematic review evaluates the efficacy, durability, and safety of ketamine, a glutamate modulator, for moderate to severe OCD. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched electronic databases through January 2026 for studies treating moderate-to-severe...
Psychopharmacology
August 11, 2026
Madison Wright, Justin Matheson, Adam Zaweel et al.
RATIONALE Sex differences in the effects of cannabis have been demonstrated in animals, though the human evidence is more equivocal. In particular, more work is needed to better understand interactions between sex and dose in determining acute pharmacological effects of cannabis, especially at higher potencies of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). OBJECTIVES Sex differences were examined following...
Psychopharmacology
July 28, 2026
Agnieszka Wawrzczak-Bargieła, Małgorzata Jelonek-Kozioł, Weronika Kumorek et al.
RATIONALE: Psilocybin (PSI) microdosing, defined as a repeated administration of sub-perceptual doses, has gained increasing attention as a potential therapeutic strategy for affective and anxiety disorders. However, some molecular mechanisms, particularly regarding epigenetic regulation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), remain poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: Therefore, the present study...
Psychopharmacology
July 17, 2026
Richard Saville-Smith, Sharday Mosurinjohn
This paper critiques the use of the term "mysticism" in psychedelic research, arguing its continued use is outdated and misleading. It highlights the confusion stemming from the historical context of "mysticism," particularly through the works of Walter Stace and Walter Pahnke, whose ideas have shaped the psychedelic discourse despite being flawed and largely unexamined. The paper is divided...
Psychopharmacology
July 14, 2026
Kyla Whitelock, Kaitlin R Van Alstyne, Liam J Conaboy et al.
6-(2-aminopropyl)benzofuran (6-APB) is a recreational drug that is structurally similar to MDMA. Very little is known about the behavioral effects of 6-APB or its dose-effect relationship in vivo. As the popularity of new psychoactive substances (NPS), such as 6-APB, increases due to their unscheduled status and easy availability, it is important to understand the potential benefits and/or...
Psychopharmacology
July 14, 2026
Helena Aicher, Joëlle Dornbierer, Luzia Caflisch et al.
Negative self-referential emotions such as embarrassment and shame play a key role in the psychopathology of psychiatric disorders but are often insufficiently addressed by standard treatments. Psychedelics such as ayahuasca - an Amazonian plant decoction containing the psychedelic N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmala alkaloids, have been proposed to positively modulate self-referential...
Psychopharmacology
July 14, 2026
Kate A Lawson, Stephen V Mahler
In humans, researchers can readily query the subjective states elicited by drugs of abuse, but no such introspective readout is currently available in rodents. Rats can convey information relevant to their internal states via ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs). We sought to measure USVs and locomotor behavior as parallel behavioral indices of the effects of drugs and ventral tegmental area...
Psychopharmacology
July 1, 2026
Sarah Ann Smith, Haseeb Mohammad, Lik Hang N Lee et al.
Interest in psychedelic drugs has increased rapidly because of their potential therapeutic role in psychiatric disorders. Impairments in the sociocognitive skills needed to build and maintain social relationships are prominent features of many psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Emerging evidence suggests that compounds such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), lysergic acid...
Psychopharmacology
June 20, 2026
E. C. H. M. Haijen-Bongers, Petra P M Hurks, J. Schepers et al.
RATIONALE: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) shows substantial heterogeneity in symptoms and cognitive deficits. According to the Triple Pathway Model, this variability may stem from impairments in three neuropsychological domains: inhibition, motivation, and temporal processing. Repeated low-dose administration of psychedelics is being explored as a treatment for ADHD, but...
Psychopharmacology
June 17, 2026
Pierre Klintefors, Chiranth Bhagavan, Richard Kanaan et al.
RATIONALE: Clinical interest in psilocybin-assisted rehabilitation for motor disorders is growing. However, psilocybin's motor effects are under-researched, and quantifying them is essential for assessing treatment risks and outcomes. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to clarify whether acute effects of psilocybin disrupt established patterns of manual dexterity and coordination. Specifically, we...
Psychopharmacology
June 10, 2026
Julian Kirsch, Christopher Poppe, Anne Beck et al.
BACKGROUND: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) remains a major global health concern, with high morbidity and mortality and limited long-term treatment success. Psychedelic therapy has re-emerged as a potential novel intervention for AUD, yet little is known about how affected individuals perceive such treatments. METHODS: This mixed-method study explored attitudes and perceptions of psychedelic...
Psychopharmacology
May 28, 2026
Mazen A Atiq, Eli Weisman, Rodrigo B Guerra et al.
Psilocybin is among the serotonergic psychedelics closest to potential FDA approval, with growing evidence of therapeutic benefit across psychiatric conditions. As clinical trials expand, systematic characterization of adverse events (AEs) remains essential. While transient hypertensive responses are well documented, hypotensive events such as neurocardiogenic syncope (NCS) are rarely reported....
Psychopharmacology
May 7, 2026
Emillie Beyer, M. Skumlien, Govinda Poudel et al.
Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) affects ~ 50 million individuals worldwide and is associated with alterations in brain reward pathways. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) show promise in reducing substance use and aberrant brain function in substance use disorders (SUD), but the effects on CUD or brain reward function have not been investigated. To examine whether a 2-week MBI vs. active...
Psychopharmacology
May 1, 2026
Catherine F Moore, Elise M Weerts
Animal models of cannabinoid self-administration are critical for advancing our understanding of the neurobiology of cannabis use and for developing medications for Cannabis Use Disorder. Use of vapor inhalation models have translational relevance, as the majority of humans who use cannabis do so by inhalation (e.g., smoking, vaporization). Adult male and female Sprague Dawley rats (N = 96,...
Psychopharmacology
April 29, 2026
Anne-Fiona Griesfeller, Lotte Kooman, Lilian Kloft-Heller et al.
RATIONALE: Reports of resurfaced repressed memories during psychedelic experiences have circulated for decades and still emerge today. However, the veracity of repressed memories remains debated, and the mechanisms through which psychedelics might recover alleged repressed memories are unclear. OBJECTIVES: This scoping review aimed to provide an overview of the literature on repressed memory in...
Psychopharmacology
April 24, 2026
Melissa L. Perreault, T. Ryan Gregory, Andrew Maxwell Phineas Jones
Whole plants and mushrooms have been used in systems of traditional medicine and health around the globe for millennia, and these more wholistic approaches are increasingly being embraced in modern Western societies. Cannabis and psilocybin are perhaps two of the most salient examples given current public and academic interests. Greater accessibility, along with expanding socioeconomic and...
Psychopharmacology
April 23, 2026
Stefani Kalli, Alina Davletova, Lenka Seillier et al.
RATIONALE: Social withdrawal in the sub-chronic phencyclidine (PCP) rat model—a behavioral correlate of schizophrenia’s negative symptoms—is well characterized, yet the psychological mechanisms underlying this deficit remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: Despite the complexity of social behavior, assessments often rely on a single metric (e.g., total interaction time) that has limited explanatory power,...
Psychopharmacology
April 23, 2026
Josephine Sena Lumor, Henriette Nyberg, Elisabeth Nerem et al.
Abstract Rationale As cannabis legalization and decriminalization have expanded, it is increasingly perceived as a low-risk substance. Concurrently, the potency of cannabis products and the number of young adults seeking treatment for cannabis use disorder have risen markedly. A growing body of research links early onset, frequent use, and high potency cannabis products to a range of adverse...
Psychopharmacology
April 15, 2026
Hanna Molla, Evan Hahn, Christian Ramos et al.
Abstract Rationale Many cannabis users claim that one reason they use cannabis is to relieve stress or dampen effects of stressful memories. However, the processes by which cannabis or its primary constituent, Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) alleviate stressful experiences remains unclear. Objective Here, we assessed whether low oral doses of THC reduce emotional or physiological responses to...
Psychopharmacology
April 14, 2026
Guilherme Lodetti, Antonio Inserra, Henrique Redivo et al.
BACKGROUND: Chronic stress is a risk factor for the development of anxiety, depression, and comorbid systemic conditions. Ayahuasca (AYA) has been used for hundreds of years and it elicits antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. However, it remains unknown whether AYA elicits a behavioral and biochemical protective effect in chronic stress. AIM OF THE STUDY: Therefore, we evaluated the...
Psychopharmacology
March 16, 2026
Ye Li, Qilong Cheng, Guoxin Lin et al.
RATIONALE: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a global public health burden, with traditional monoaminergic antidepressants facing critical limitations including slow onset, adverse side effects, and high rates of treatment resistance (TRD). Ketamine, a rapid-acting agent with sustained antidepressant effects, has revolutionized depression treatment paradigms but challenges conventional...
Psychopharmacology
March 4, 2026
Ava M. Mac, Srinivasu Kallakuri, Alixandria T. Mascarin et al.
MDMA (3–4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine) assisted psychotherapy has gained considerable attention as a potential adjuvant therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Reports of the nonmedical use of MDMA suggest its adverse effects may include anxiety and anhedonia. However, the time course of these signs and symptoms and the potential alterations in neurotransmitter levels that may...
Psychopharmacology
March 1, 2026
Patricia Di Ciano, Sampson Zhao, Pamela Kaduri et al.
2 citations
Smoked cannabis is known to have effects on cognitive function. The use of edibles is on the rise yet there are few studies of the effects of edibles on cognitive function. Further, most studies of cannabis used fixed laboratory doses which may not capture some of the nuances of more naturalistic doses. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the psychoactive component of cannabis yet the...
Psychopharmacology
March 1, 2026
Taren Mieran, Andrew Hill, Mark S Horswill et al.
Medicinal cannabis use is increasing worldwide, yet its impacts on driving safety in frequent users are not clearly understood. A more comprehensive understanding of the effects of THC on driving behaviour in frequent users is needed to guide drug driving policy and evidence-based advice for medicinal cannabis consumers. This study investigated the acute effects of orally ingested THC oil on...