Improved outcomes for substance use disorders have been described following non-clinical (“naturalistic”) psychedelic use. This exploratory study aimed to describe the naturalistic psychedelic experiences of people with substance use concerns and their reported needs and perceived utility of psychosocial support following naturalistic psychedelic use to integrate experiences and achieve...
Psychedelic substances have recently emerged as a promising method for treating mental health conditions, despite a history of stigmatization and restriction in use. The present review synthesizes existing literature on the therapeutic potential of psychedelics such as LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA in addressing specific mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and addiction. On reviewing...
Obesity is a multifactorial disorder involving a behavioural aetiology in subsets of patients that traditional therapeutic approaches have failed to address. Drawing parallels with addiction, the rewarding aspects of a chronic energy-dense diet can compromise dopaminergic reward circuits, eventually causing individuals to become habitually responsive to food-related stimuli despite adverse...
Introduction One of the main mechanisms of action of LSD in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) is the activation of 5HT2A receptors. This triggers a cascade of neurochemical processes with the release of neurotransmitters and neurohormonal substances. The release of oxytocin in this process is well documented in pre-clinical studies, with recent evidence in healthy subjects. We have no...
Abstract Several years ago, the first studies were conducted in which the effects of psychedelics in low doses were tested in healthy participants. These studies focused mainly on the acute effects of LSD. Questions that remained unanswered were whether low doses have lasting effects, as well as whether they can reduce symptoms of ADHD. To answer these questions, we conducted two studies,...
Abstract The potential of psychedelic substances to treat mental illness is of significant clinical and societal interest, leading to academic and industry-based research to test their effects. Partly, such research was conducted to fulfil requirements of government agencies such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), that have started defining...
This piece introduces the special issue of SAQ “Psychedelic Imaginaries,” which collates fresh and theoretically sophisticated humanist perspectives on the contemporary psychedelic renaissance. Recent interdisciplinary research into psychoactive substances like LSD (or “acid”), psilocybin (or “magic mushrooms”), and MDMA (or “ecstasy”) has repeatedly shown that the therapeutically beneficial...
Introduction Persons with schizophrenia are currently excluded from psychedelic-assisted therapy due to concerns about psychedelic-induced acute or persistent psychotic symptoms. However, meta-analytic evidence of the precise risk for psychedelic-induced de novo and exacerbation of psychosis in people with pre-existing psychotic disorders is lacking. Objectives We conducted an overview of...
Although there is growing support for the protective effects of psychedelics on mental health, recent evidence finds racial and ethnic minorities gain fewer benefits. This paper aims to test whether the disparate mental health outcomes associated with psychedelic use extend across multiple racial and ethnic groups, including non-Hispanic Whites, Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics. In order to...
Ketamine, in doses suitable to induce anaesthesia in humans, gives rise to a unique state of unresponsiveness accompanied by vivid experiences and sensations, making it possible to disentangle the correlated but distinct concepts of conscious awareness and behavioural responsiveness. This distinction is often overlooked in the study of consciousness. The mathematical framework of connectome...