After a long period of obscurantism, a possible role of psychedelics in clinical practice has progressively become a tangible perspective during the last two decades. However, the resounding enthusiasm linked to such 'psychedelic renaissance' runs the risk to unduly minimize the possible hazards associated with these compounds, while expanding their alleged benefits to improbable panacea-like...
Abstract Background and aims This is the first systematic review of the extant literature on all major psychedelic‐assisted treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), tobacco use disorder (TUD) and other substance use disorders (SUD). We aimed to summarise the evidence for efficacy of psychedelic‐assisted treatment for AUD, TUD, and SUD; to evaluate its quality; and to offer recommendations for...
Exploration of the potential of serotonergic psychedelic drugs, such as psilocybin and LSD, as potential treatments for headache disorders. This review addresses the need for well-informed physician guidelines and discusses mechanisms, safety, and efficacy of these treatments. Further research, including the consideration of combination with psychotherapy, is needed. Psychedelics demonstrate...
Psychedelics are serotonergic drugs that profoundly alter consciousness, yet their neural mechanisms are not fully understood. A popular theory, RElaxed Beliefs Under pSychedelics (REBUS), posits that psychedelics flatten the hierarchy of information flow in the brain. Here, we investigate hierarchy based on the imbalance between sending and receiving brain signals, as determined by directed...
Les années soixante aux États-Unis ont été une décennie turbulente. L’un des principaux éléments de cette transformation sociale, sociétale et culturelle est sans nul doute la « révolution psychédélique » qui a profondément secoué la Californie en général et le quartier de Haight-Ashbury à San Francisco en particulier. La déferlante psychédélique a radicalement transformé la Californie. Le...
Despite national efforts to curb the opioid crisis, the clinical and societal challenges continue to grow. FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) are effective but are associated with high rates of treatment discontinuation and relapse. A collection of agents with acute effects on consciousness, collectively (if variably) categorized as 'psychedelics', have emerged as potential...
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent and disabling condition affecting over 350 million individuals worldwide. Although conventional antidepressants targeting serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline pathways provide benefit for many, a substantial proportion of patients experience inadequate response. Treatment-resistant depression (TRD), defined by failure to respond to at least two...
Human neuroimaging with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging has been a key feature of the current wave of psychedelic research, in both healthy and clinical populations. The available data has suggested that classic psychedelics (psilocybin, LSD, DMT) have a characteristic effect of acutely and profoundly disrupting the normal pattern of resting-state connectivity in the human brain, and that...
Molecular brain imaging by positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computer-tomography (SPECT) entails the mapping of the cerebral distribution of radiopharmaceuticals that track physiological processes such as blood perfusion and glucose metabolism, or the abundance in brain of specific molecular targets such as neuroreceptors. PET and SPECT emerged as useful in vivo...
The current chapter presents the literature evaluating the effects of classic psychedelic treatments on five substance use disorders: alcohol, tobacco, opioid, stimulant, and cannabis. Most work on psychedelics and substance use disorders was conducted for alcohol use disorder. A range of classic psychedelics (LSD, psilocybin, and ayahuasca) appear to be beneficial for facilitating both reduced...
Patients with a life-threatening disease (LTD) sometimes suffer from end-of-life distress (EOLD) which refers to the physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual suffering related to chronic illness and the possibility of death. Palliative care interventions seek to improve the quality of life of patients with EOLD and their significant others. Currently, a range of psychological and...
Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD) is considered rare in hallucinogen users although there are conflicting reports about its incidence and prevalence. HPPD may be more common in those with trait neuroticism. In this study, we invited hallucinogen and other drug users to complete an online questionnaire about their use of hallucinogens, their experience of HPPD symptoms, and...
1-Acetyl-N,N-diethyllysergamide (1A-LSD, ALD-52) was first synthesized in the 1950s and found to produce psychedelic effects similar to those of LSD. Evidence suggests that ALD-52 serves as a prodrug in vivo and hydrolysis to LSD is likely responsible for its activity. Extension of the N1-alkylcarbonyl chain gives rise to novel lysergamides, which spurred further investigations into their...
Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) is an increasingly prevalent disorder affecting millions of Americans each year. Psychedelic compounds have recently been investigated for their therapeutic potential in treating substance use disorders, yet no prior work has examined the relationship between naturalistic use of specific psychedelic compounds and rates of disordered cannabis use. Using a nationally...
There is increasing interest in establishing psychedelic research programs at academic medical centers. However, psychedelics are intensely psychoactive, carry considerable sociopolitical baggage, and most are Schedule I drugs, creating significant potential impediments to implementation. There is little formal guidance for investigators on navigating the complex on-the-ground obstacles...
Recent legislative initiatives in the United States have focused on the medical and legal status of psychedelics, prompting interest in understanding public perceptions of their risks. This study investigates rural-urban differences in the perception of LSD and cannabis risks using national survey data. Data from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) between 2015 and 2021 were...
A 64-year-old male patient who suffered from traumatic life experiences and neuropathic pain after oncological chemotherapy was treated with medium to high doses of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and high doses and microdoses of methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). At the beginning of treatment, the patient did not experience any acute subjective effects of LSD at a dose of 200 µg. After...
Abstract Growing evidence suggests that psychedelic-assisted therapies can alleviate depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, and substance use disorder, offering relatively safe profiles, enhanced efficacy, and lasting effects after a few applications. Athletes often experience high levels of stress and pressure, making them susceptible to these psychiatric conditions. However, the effects...