Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and bipolar depression (TRBD) are severe, heterogeneous mood disorders associated with substantial functional impairment, elevated suicide risk and persistent unmet treatment needs. While pharmacological and psychological interventions continue to advance, many patients experience delayed, partial or unsustained benefit, underscoring the need for therapies...
While tele-mental health has improved access to standard medication management and psychotherapy for rural Veterans, implementation of interventional psychiatry treatments will require in-person care, potentially leading to the exacerbation of rural-urban disparities in access to mental health care. We studied the availability of interventional psychiatry treatments, delivered clinically or in...
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) is emerging as a novel intervention for major psychiatric disorders, most notably major depressive disorder (MDD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While psychotherapy is widely regarded as a core element of PAP its precise role remains poorly defined. This narrative review traces the development of PAP within contemporary Western psychiatry,...
Self-compassion is theorized to play a central role in promoting mental health and wellbeing, including for individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD). One proposed mechanism of MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) for SAD is the cultivation of self-compassion. Across five aims, we will characterize self-compassion experiences during MDMA-AT and evaluate its role as a potential mechanism of...
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a prevalent mental disorder, with a lifetime prevalence of 2-3%, characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions). These thoughts and behaviors take up a significant amount of time, cause immense distress, and compromise the quality of life of those who suffer from OCD. In addition to psychological factors such as...
Psilocybin, a tryptamine-derived alkaloid from Psilocybe mushrooms, has emerged as a high-value biopharmaceutical candidate due to its promising applications in mental health. While clinical studies highlight its rapid and sustained antidepressant effects, current challenges lie in achieving scalable, reproducible, and cost-effective production to meet growing research and therapeutic demand....
Yue, Luo, and colleagues discovered that adenosine signalling is the common underlying mechanism of rapid acting antidepressant therapies, unifying the effects of ketamine, ECT and acute intermittent hypoxia. They use genetically encoded sensors, along with extensive mechanistic dissection, to show that all three induce adenosine surges in mood-regulatory circuits via A1 and A2A receptor...
Depression is a serious issue in the world, affecting over 350 million people. Although it may present at any age, adolescence to early adulthood is the most common age of onset, and females are affected twice as much as males. Rumination is a specific known risk factor for the onset, severity, prolongation, and relapse of depression. Relapse prevention in recurrent depression is a significant...
Background: Psychedelic-assisted therapy is gaining renewed attention as a potential treatment for various mental disorders. Despite increasing numbers of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses, a comprehensive synthesis of the evidence across different substances and indications is lacking. This umbrella review aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of...