Demyelination, defined as the loss of myelin sheaths around neuronal axons, is increasingly recognized as a key factor in a broad range of psychiatric and neurological disorders, including schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, autism spectrum disorder, substance use disorders, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis....
Introduction Inflammation has been implicated as an underlying pathology in negative affect and sleep disruption. Cannabinoids like delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) have demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to assess if cannabis use altered cytokine concentration and whether inflammatory status moderated the influence of 4 weeks of cannabis use on...
Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) recently appeared on the recreational drug market and is often sold as a legal replacement for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). Users primarily consume HHC for recreational purposes, but adverse effects have been reported. Given the scant literature on HHC, additional research is needed to better understand its effects. The present study sought to determine whether...
A significant share of meditation research relies on trait psychometric measures of mindfulness, which neglect the complex and dynamic unfolding of experiential processes entailed by meditation over time. However, there have been a few attempts to capture ongoing changes in experience during meditation. In this study, we integrated and expanded on 3 of these previous approaches to create a...
Serotonergic psychedelics exert their effects via their high affinity for serotonin (5-HT) receptors, particularly through activating 5-HT2A receptors (5-HT2AR), employing the frontal cortex-dependent head-twitch response (HTR). Although universally believed to be so, studies have not yet fully ascertained whether 5-HT2AR activation is the sole initiator of these psychedelic effects. This is...
Diarylethylamine drugs possess dissociative properties. These emerged as drugs of misuse, with reports of strong addictive potential, high tolerance and compulsive intake. Since one of these drugs, diphenidine, was added to the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, the United Kingdom (UK) had to consider its control. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs 2023 advice included...
ABSTRACT Three novel 14 C‐labelled isotopologues of the psychoactive agents psilocin, psilocybin and 5‐methoxy‐ N , N ‐dimethyltryptamine (5‐MeO‐DMT) were synthesised, all labelled at the 2‐position of the indole. The syntheses involved incorporating the 3‐dimethylaminoethyl substituent common to all three substances onto a 4‐ or 5‐substituted indole intermediate via successive treatments with...
Psychoactive substances are compounds that can influence perception, consciousness, cognition, and emotions. The psychoactive substances caffeine, nicotine, cannabis, and psilocybin all originate from natural sources and can be used without complex processing or synthesis. Their natural availability has contributed to a long-standing history of human use and cultural significance. Caffeine and...
A growing body of evidence points to a role for mindfulness in the development or maintenance of co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD). However, the mechanisms of this relationship remain unclear in the veteran population. This study seeks to understand how PTSD and facets of mindfulness are associated with factors of SUD in veterans enrolled in a VA...
Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a pervasive global mental health issue, and finding effective treatments for the disorder has been challenging. Mindfulness meditation (MM), recognized for its holistic approach that involves integrating mental and physical facets, holds promise for addressing the multifaceted nature of addiction. Nevertheless, the effect of MM on IGD and its associated neural...