The microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) plays a pivotal role in drug addiction. However, the pathophysiological mechanism of MGBA in ketamine addiction remains elusive. The present study investigated the ketamine-induced gut microbiota disorders, intestinal barrier dysfunction, and the alterations in brain function, using a conditioned place preference (CPP) model of ketamine addiction in rats....
Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) with substances like psilocybin and MDMA has shown promise for conditions including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Psilocybin and MDMA may become approved medicines in the coming decade. This study assessed knowledge and attitudes regarding PAT among 879 U.S. healthcare professionals via anonymous online survey. Multivariable linear regression...
High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Recent innovations in psychedelic research have led to the development of novel compounds designed to enhance the therapeutic potential of psilocin and related tryptamines. This Patent Highlight reviews three essential patents that focus on improving the stability, bioavailability, and efficacy of these compounds for treating mental health...
NeuroethicsNovember 9, 2024Yoshiyuki Hayashi, Ryoji Sato
This article investigates a critical yet underexplored structural aspect of consciousness in the context of the practical ethics of neural organoid research: the unity of consciousness. We advocate for the necessity of the unified field, which has garnered substantial support from both philosophical and empirical standpoints, although the debate remains unresolved. We highlight the brainstem as...
Abstract Objectives: Understanding variations in knowledge and attitudes of psychiatrists to psilocybin therapy is important for the collective discourse about the potential impact on clinical practice and public health in Ireland. Methods: A 28-item questionnaire was designed based on previous studies and distributed to psychiatrists in Ireland via online mailing lists and at in-person...
Psychedelic-assisted therapy is becoming increasingly acknowledged as an effective therapeutic intervention for various psychiatric illnesses. However, the evaluation of masking success is rarely reported in trials. The objective of the present systematic review was to evaluate placebo-control and masking in studies exploring psychedelic-assisted therapy. Nine (k = 9) studies dating between...
Harm Reduction JournalNovember 5, 2024Chris Wilkins, Jose Romeo, Marta Rychert et al.8 citations
The substitution of cannabis for alcohol and other drugs has been conceptualised in a harm reduction framework as where cannabis is used to reduce the negative side-effects, addiction potential, and social stigma of other drugs. There is currently mixed evidence with recent reviews suggesting cannabis co-use patterns may vary by age and ethnicity. Yet few studies have had large enough samples...
The aim of this study was to explore the perception of psychedelics within the medical population. Participants were asked by questionnaire about the potential of abuse, the somatic and psychiatric complications, and the risks of self-harm and aggression associated with the use of psychedelics using Likert Scales. A total of 407 participants were included. In our sample, the following means...
The typical conundrum with cannabis use by adolescents and first episode psychosis — which came first? — was displaced by Steven Batki, M.D., in a plenary session at the Cape Cod Symposium on Addictive Disorders (CCSAD) in September. Bakti, who is a professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco Weill Institute for Neurosciences, presented his conclusions allowing the...
The mesolimbic reward system originating from dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the midbrain shows a profound reduction in function during cannabinoid withdrawal. This condition may underlie aversive states that lead to compulsive drug seeking and relapse. The lateral habenula (LHb) exerts negative control over the VTA via the GABA rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg),...