Introduction: Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) affects approximately 30–50% of patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) who fail to respond to at least two adequate antidepressant trials. This condition presents substantial clinical and functional challenges, and no universally accepted treatment algorithm currently exists. Emerging therapeutic strategies, particularly glutamatergic...
Brain DisordersSeptember 23, 2025Matthew Halma, R. Levy, Joseph Varón2 citations
Clinicians and researchers are showing increased interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy for patients who don't show improvement from using conventional antidepressants. This updated review integrates recent developments, including data on lesser-studied compounds like DMT and 5-MeO-DMT, findings from large clinical trials, and evolving regulatory landscapes. In treatment-resistant depression,...
bioRxiv Preprint ServerSeptember 18, 2025C. Delgado-Sallent, S. A. Ahmed, A. Khawaja-Lopez et al.
preprint
Psychedelics such as psilocybin and ketamine are gaining attention as rapid-acting treatments for psychiatric disorders, yet the mechanisms by which they alter cognition remain unclear. A key hypothesis—the REBUS model—proposes that psychedelics relax high-level priors, allowing bottom-up sensory information to exert greater influence over perception and behavior. Here, we test this model in...
aim: To provide a balanced account of psilocybin treatment of depression for expectations to be appropriately set. method: Review and discussion of key psilocybin efficacy studies. Reporting of side effects and risk of harm with psychedelic treatments. Comparisons and contrasts with ketamine studies of treatment-resistant depression (TRD). result: Early psilocybin studies offer promise but...
"Tusi," commonly known by various names such as "pink cocaine," "cocaina rosada," "Tucibi," "pink powder," "Eros," and "Venus," is a psychoactive mixture of substances that first appeared in Colombia around 2010. Since its emergence, its use has expanded across Latin America, the United States, Australia, parts of Southeast Asia and Europe, with notable prevalence in Spain. The composition of...
Exploring the intricate relationship between brain's structure and function, and how this affects subjective experience is a fundamental pursuit in neuroscience. Psychedelic substances offer a unique insight into the influences of specific neurotransmitter systems on perception, cognition and consciousness. Specifically, their impact on brain function propagates across the structural connectome...
Czechia has recently approved the medical use of psilocybin, marking a pivotal shift in the country’s drug policy landscape. This development paves the way for regulated therapeutic applications of psilocybin within clinical settings, while simultaneously prompting a timely discussion on the potential uses of psychedelics beyond strictly medical contexts. This commentary first outlines the...
The current revival of interest in classic psychedelics and other psychoactives such as ketamine and MDMA, coupled with changes to their regulatory status in many jurisdictions, necessitates rigorous ethical guidelines both within and beyond clinical and scientific contexts. This paper examines crucial ethical, philosophical, and policy considerations needed to ensure psychedelic use across...
Psychotherapy with the use of psychedelics is an emerging field that evokes both curiosity and scepticism. This article explores how these substances, despite their controversial reputation, can have their therapeutic value within a systemic context. For centuries, psychedelics have been used for spiritual and healing purposes and received considerable scientific attention in psychiatry in the...
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) affects approximately 280 million people globally, with current treatments showing significant limitations, including delayed onset of action, low remission rates, and troublesome side effects. Esmethadone (REL-1017, d-methadone) has emerged as a promising agent for MDD. This review examines esmethadone (REL-1017), a novel glutamatergic modulator functioning...