AbstractChapter 1 introduces the concept of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) and the EMBARK psychedelic therapy model, a new approach to PAT and psychological support. The chapter serves as an orientation to the book, outlining its structure and intended audiences. It discusses the growing interest in psychedelic medicines for treating mental health disorders, particularly depression. The...
Depression is a common mental illness, with an estimated 3.8% of global population affected. Peripheral administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) culminate in a distinct depressive-like behavioral syndrome, measured by increased duration of immobility in the forced swim test (FST) and anhedonia in sucrose preference tests (SPT). After 6 days of LPS stimulation, we established a depression...
Abstract High ventilation breathwork with retention (HVBR) might be beneficial for mental/physical health and has been growing in popularity over the past decade. However, little research has investigated the potential therapeutic effects of brief, remotely delivered HVBR and the tolerability profile of this technique. This study (NCT06064474) was the largest blinded randomised-controlled trial...
Classical psychedelics such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) are showing promising results in clinical trials for a range of psychiatric indications, including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse disorder. These compounds are characterized by broad pharmacological activity profiles, and while the acute mind-altering effects can be ascribed...
SleepApril 20, 2024Urmil Shah, Kumar Abhishek, Rushikesh Shukla et al.
Sleep paralysis is a condition that has been on the rise in recent years, occurring during the pre or post sleep stages. While there is no known direct cause of sleep paralysis, studies have shown a number of potential causes, including poor quality of sleep, alcohol use, exposure to stressful events, anxiety disorders, and a family history of the illness. The purpose of this study was to...
Rythmia Life Advancement Center is the first and currently only medically licensed Ayahuasca center in the world. Rythmia is helping to bridge the gap between the Western medical model of health care with the indigenous healing modalities of Latin America. The “Rythmia Way” program uses a variety of modalities, in addition to Ayahuasca, to help individuals find meaning in their lives and...
Psychedelics (serotonergic hallucinogens) are psychoactive substances that can alter perception and mood, and affect cognitive functions. These substances activate 5-HT2A receptors and may exert therapeutic effects. Some of the disorders for which psychedelic-assisted therapy have been studied include depression, addiction, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Despite the increasing...
World Journal of PsychiatryApril 19, 2024Edison Iglesias de Oliveira Vidal, Luiz Fernando Alvarenga Ribeiro, Marco Antonio De Carvalho-Filho et al.6 citations
The high rates of depression, burnout, and increased risk of suicide among medical students, residents, and physicians in comparison with other careers signal a mental health crisis within our profession. We contend that this crisis coupled with the inadequate acquisition of interpersonal skills during medical education results from the interaction between a challenging environment and the...
The impact of psychedelic treatment on patients suffering from psychiatric diseases like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic psychiatric disorder (PTSD), and existential distress related to cancer has become very intriguing to psychiatrists in the modern era. Serotonergic psychedelics include Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, mescaline, ayahuasca, and methylene-deoxy methamphetamine...
The cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) is famous as the target of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the active ingredient of marijuana. Suppression of CB1 is frequently suggested as a drug target or gene therapy for many conditions (e.g., obesity, Parkinson's disease). However, brain networks affected by CB1 remain elusive, and unanticipated psychological effects in a clinical trial had dire...