The recent relaxation of psychedelic drug regulations has prompted extensive clinical investigation into their potential use to treat diverse mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and substance-abuse disorders. Most clinical trials have relied on a small number of known molecules found in nature, such as psilocybin, or long-known synthetic analogs of...
. This has led to widespread interest in psychedelic compounds being used for recreation, treatment of mental illness and addiction, and even the so-called "enhancement" of individuals and society. This renewed interest in psychedelics has resulted in seemingly endless publications in both the popular and the academic press, including authors from fields as diverse as philosophy, theology,...
Abstract A recent wave of research in psychiatry and neuroscience has re-examined the properties of ‘classic’ psychedelic substances—also known as serotonergic hallucinogens—such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). Evidence to date suggests that psychedelics can be given safely in controlled conditions, at moderate to high doses, and may have...
This study aims to estimate the lower, middle, and upper bounds of potential demand for psilocybin-assisted therapy (PSIL-AT) for major depressive disorder (MDD) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in the United States. We calculated potential PSIL-AT demand for MDD and TRD by estimating the number of U.S. patients with MDD, identifying those in treatment, and determining who qualifies as...
Aspects of the acute experience induced by the serotonergic psychedelic psilocybin predict symptomatic relief in multiple psychiatric disorders and improved well-being in healthy participants, but whether these therapeutic effects are immediate or are based on memories of the experience is unclear. To examine this, we co-administered psilocybin (25 mg) with the amnestic benzodiazepine midazolam...
The adolescence, a transition phase from childhood to adulthood, is exposed to critical development changes in multiple domains including physical, cognitive, emotional, social, moral, sexual and academic.There is also an increased probability of troubles or illness such as negative behaviour, drug abuse, depression, stress and anxiety which if not addressed could make the transition to...
Abstract Psilocybin is a classic psychedelic and a novel treatment for mood disorders. Psilocybin induces dose-dependent transient (4-6 hours) usually pleasant changes in perception, cognition, and emotion by non-selectively agonizing the 5-HT 2A receptors and negatively regulating serotonin reuptake, and long-term positive antidepressant effect on mood and well-being. Long-term effects are...
Widespread health service disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic coincided with a dramatic increase in overdose deaths among people who use drugs (PWUD) in Vancouver, Canada. Those with a history of injection drug use are known to be at heightened risk of substance-associated harms. Drug use patterns and associated sociodemographic and health care utilization trends have been...
The potent hallucinogen N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) has garnered significant interest in recent years due to its profound effects on consciousness and its therapeutic psychopotential. DMT is an integral (but not exclusive) psychoactive alkaloid in the Amazonian plant-based brew ayahuasca, in which admixture of several β-carboline monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitors potentiate the activity...
Psilocybin, a major indole alkaloid found in magic mushrooms (Psilocybe cubensis), has recently drawn attention as a breakthrough therapy to treat major depressive disorder. This review aimed to summarize and identify knowledge gaps concerning their pharmacokinetic characteristics of psilocybin and its active metabolite, psilocin. Original studies related to pharmacokinetics of psilocybin...