Psilocybin, a serotonergic compound that produces psychedelic effects primarily through activation of the 5-HT2A receptor, has shown promise in treating neuropsychiatric conditions, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, the effects of chronic psilocybin administration on gut function, microbiota, and behavioural phenotypes remain understudied. The present study investigated...
Recreational use of psychotogenic drugs has become more common in the last 30 years with consequent increase in drug-induced psychosis; 25-50% of such psychoses progress to schizophrenia within 5 years. Most cases result from abuse of methamphetamine or cannabis. The spread of methamphetamine psychosis has occurred without any liberalisation of laws; it is highly addictive and easy to make in...
The Bi-Interpretive Mind Framework (BIMF) introduces a dual-system model of human cognition and consciousness, positing the coexistence of two interdependent subsystems: the Primary Mind (logical, conscious, reality-testing) and the Secondary Mind (intuitive, unconscious, biologically interpretive). Subjective experience is conceptualized as emerging from the “interpretive handshake” between...
Numerous individuals suffer from mental health issues including depression and anxiety, resulting in substantial societal burden. Data suggests individuals are choosing to self-medicate with Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS); however, this phenomenon is poorly understood. We aimed to investigate which NPS are being used to self-medicate, evaluate their perceived effectiveness and examine...
1. Classical psychedelics are gaining attention as potential treatments for a range of neuropsychiatric conditions, including depression, anxiety, and addictions [1]. Psychedelics differ from tradi...
Abstract Background Alcohol use disorder (AUD) presents significant health and societal issues. The disorder is characterized by locomotor impairments and disruption of the dopaminergic neurotransmission in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Current AUD treatments are limited, necessitating the exploration of novel drugs. The potential therapeutic use of psychedelics, particularly lysergic acid...
Lucid dreaming (LD), during which the dreamer becomes aware of the dream state, offers a unique opportunity for a variety of applications, including motor practice, personal well-being, and nightmare therapy. However, these applications largely depend on the dreamer's ability to control their dreams. While LD research has traditionally focused on induction techniques to increase dream...
Lucid dreaming, defined as the experience of becoming aware of dreaming while still immersed in a dream, offers a unique window into a state of consciousness characterized by a blending of the sensory vividness of REM sleep with the self-awareness of wakefulness. While past functional imaging has shed light on the neural activity supporting lucid dreaming, the structural brain correlates of...
Background: While psychedelics are often claimed to enhance creativity, their precise effects on distinct stages of creative cognition remain poorly understood. This study investigated the acute effects of an ayahuasca-inspired formulation combining N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and harmine (DMT/HAR), as well as harmine alone (HAR), on micro-level (divergent/convergent thinking) and macro-level...
Abstract This chapter explores Husserl’s innovative conception of immanent time in three parts: retention, now-moments, and protention. It explains his advance relative to Brentano’s conception of time and memory being the result of “productive imagination.” Early on, it demonstrates that sensation, welling up from the body, both accounted for our feeling of temporal flow and depended on that...