Langlitz and colleagues wrote about clinically used psychedelic drugs and the possibility of a “moral psychopharmacology” earlier in this journal (1). They emphasized the context-dependency of the effects of these substances (e.g., ayahuasca, psilocybin) and the importance of understanding their impact on social and moral cognition, particularly now that there is more research on their possible...
Discovered in the United States of America (USA) in the 1960s, ketamine was introduced as an anaesthetic drug to specifically replace phencyclidine. Briefly, the substance moved from the medical world to recreational users, since it was discovered that intense psychedelic experiences were obtained with dosages lower than those prescribed for anesthesia. At the end of the 90's, circulated in...
The active hallucinogen of magic mushrooms, psilocin, is being repurposed to treat nicotine addiction and treatment-resistant depression. Psilocin belongs to the tryptamine class of psychedelic compounds which include the hormone serotonin. It is believed that psilocin exerts its effect by binding to the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor. However, recent in-vivo evidence suggests that psilocin may...
Abstract Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is known to induce powerful psychoactive effects in humans, which cemented its status as an important tool for clinical research. A range of analogues and derivatives has been investigated over the years, including those classified as new psychoactive substances. This study presents the characterization of the novel lysergamide N , N...
In healthy adults, LSD produces little change in cognition, mood There have been numerous anecdotal reports of beneficial mood and cognitive effects from repeated administration of low doses of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) at intervals of 3 to 4 days, but few controlled studies have been conducted. Animal research has suggested that repeated low doses of LSD could confer antidepressant...
Abstract Whilst the topic of representations is one of the key topics in philosophy of mind, it has only occasionally been noted that representations and representational features may be gradual. Apart from vague allusions, little has been said on what representational gradation amounts to and why it could be explanatorily useful. The aim of this paper is to provide a novel take on gradation of...
INTRODUCTION: Ketamine is an established intervention for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, long-term adverse effects with repeated doses remain insufficiently characterized. Although several animal models have shown N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptor antagonists to produce various neuropathological reactions, attention surrounding the risk of brain lesions has been minimal....
Subanesthetic doses of ketamine produce rapid and sustained anti-depressant effects in patients with treatment-resistant depression. Unfortunately, the usefulness of ketamine as a treatment is limited by its potential for abuse because of psychotropic side effects such as dissociation. Understanding the brain dynamics and the neural circuits involved in ketamine’s effects could lend insight...
A record ~100,000 fatalities due to drug overdoses was reported in the U.S. for the twelve months preceding April 2021. Opioids account for most deaths, and recurrent opioid use may lead to the development of opioid use disorder (OUD), a debilitating chronic disorder. Current medication‐assisted OUD treatment (e.g., buprenorphine) mitigates withdrawal, reduces mortality, and reduces intake of...
The FASEB JournalMay 1, 2022Thomas Basala, Brigitte Morin, John Durocher
According to the CDC, most children and about 1 in 3 adults in the United States fail to reach their age group recommended quantity of sleep. Recently, non‐pharmacological sleep aids, such as meditation, have gained popularity. However, to our knowledge there is no research data that compares sleep metrics or psychological well‐being between those that meditate in the morning vs. in the...