Recent works such as REPA have shown that guiding diffusion models with external semantic features (e.g., DINO) can significantly accelerate the training of diffusion transformers (DiTs). However, the use of pretrained external features as guidance signals introduces additional dependencies. We argue that DiTs actually have the power to guide the training of themselves, and propose...
This article aims to reflect on the religion of Santo Daime, a tradition that emerged in the heart of the Amazon rainforest and is grounded in the ritual use of ayahuasca – an ancient indigenous brew considered an entheogen, a term of Greek origin composed of entheos ( ἔνθεος ), meaning ‘god within’, and genos ( γένος ), meaning ‘origin’ or ‘generated’. We argue for a heterotopic theology –...
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD), a clinical subtype of major depressive disorder (MDD), is associated with greater severity and functional impairment, representing a significant challenge in psychiatric care. Recent studies suggest that the use of psychedelics can provide rapid and substantial improvement in the severity of depressive symptoms. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review...
Objective: Emerging evidence suggests that mystical experiences mediate the therapeutic effects of psychedelic-assisted therapy. The current study examines associations between mystical experiences and components of “set” (positive mindset, participant intentions, and spirituality) and “setting” (perceived positivity of the dosing environment) in the context of psilocybin-assisted therapy for...
MoleculesJanuary 8, 2026Anna W Sobańska, Andrzej M Sobański, Elżbieta Brzezińska1 citation
A total of 250 known and novel compounds-ketamine and serotonergic psychedelics or their analogues-designed to target depression, addictions and/or other mental or neurological disorders and developed as "recreational" (illegal) drugs from three chemical families, ergolines, tryptamines and phenylethylamines, were investigated in the context of their ability to cross the human placenta. Using a...
Embodied agency and the blindspot of medical scienceModern science is driven by a "life-as-machine metaphysics", according to which the world is given and objectively there, to be quantified and divided up into more basic, material elements (Frank et al., 2024, p. 92).In this view, human lived experience plays no or next to no explanatory role (ibid., 7-8).This is the blindspot of modern...
Psychedelic MedicineJanuary 7, 2026Carter J. Richardson, Alice J. McQueney, Thomas Stevens et al.
Introduction: Oxycodone is a necessary analgesic medication but carries abuse potential. There is an urgent need to develop therapeutics to reduce abuse potential. Psychedelic compounds may be a viable option, but the behavioral and pharmacological mechanism of action is undefined. Methods: Male and female Sprague–Dawley rats were implanted with indwelling jugular catheters and allowed to...
Background: Psilocybin has shown rapid and sustained antidepressant effects in patients with major depressive disorder, yet the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these outcomes remain unclear. Aims: This study aimed to bridge clinical and preclinical findings by investigating the relationships between 5-HT 2A receptor occupancy (RO) achieved after administration of psilocybin and its...
Meditation has a rich history and is deeply integrated into Indian civilization. Its diverse applications have attracted the attention of researchers across disciplines, revealing that meditation offers powerful and transformative benefits for the mind and spirit. In the post-pandemic period, there has been heightened awareness of mental health and psychosocial well-being, as the long-term...
This paper explores the methodological tensions between quantitative psychology and phenomenological reduction in the study of self-consciousness. Quantitative psychology, historically modeled on the natural sciences, treats self-consciousness as a psychological attribute and operationalizes it through standardized scales. It emphasizes causal relationships between self-consciousness and other...