[Psychedelic Experiences: Phenomenology, Therapeutic Potentials and Explanatory Models].
Tamara Chernoff, Bruno Kliger, Dante Hernán Venturini
Vertex Revista Argentina de Psiquiatría July 10, 2023 DOI: 10.53680/vertex.v34i160.463 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Double-blind Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Altered states of consciousness Depression Psilocybin Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Psychedelic experiences Psychedelic-assisted therapies Psychedelic treatment Hallucinogenic therapy Psychological therapy Behavioral therapy Altered states Mind exploration Depression treatment |
| Key findings | Psychedelics produce altered states of consciousness involving mystical or ego-dissolution experiences that are linked to therapeutic effects in mental health conditions, with current evidence from phase II clinical trials. |
Abstract
Traditional psychedelics, such as LSD, psilocybin, or DMT, are psychoactive compounds that exert their effects mainly through agonism over serotonergic receptors. In appropriate doses and contexts, they produce profound changes in the subjective experience, configuring altered states of consciousness that, upon reaching a critical point, involve the appearance of phenomena of mystical, transcendental, or ego dissolution experiences. These events are associated with diverse therapeutic effects in several mental conditions. Psychedelics are safe substances, with minimal risk of serious or long-lasting adverse effects and without addictive potential. Current evidence comes from systematic reviews and meta-analyses based on phase II clinical studies, with small groups of subjects, strict exclusion criteria, and difficulties in applying the double-blind methodology. Worldwide there is a growing number of clinical trials, which seek to promote the approval of psychedelic-assisted therapies as therapeutic tools in the coming years. In this bibliographic review, we will address the phenomenological characteristics of the psychedelic experience, its potential therapeutic uses, and the mechanisms that underlie them.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on psilocybin for depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| Molecular Mechanisms of Psilocybin and Implications for the Treatment of Depression | 2021 | Review | |
| Registered clinical studies investigating psychedelic drugs for psychiatric disorders. Registered clinical trials on clinicaltrials.gov evaluating psychedelics for... | 2021 | Review | n = 70 |
| Depression, Mindfulness, and Psilocybin: Possible Complementary Effects of Mindfulness Meditation and Psilocybin in the Treatment of Depression. A Review | 2020 | Review | |
| From psychiatry to neurology: Psychedelics as prospective therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders | 2021 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 44
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
- The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2014
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
and 39 more in the library