Translational Psychiatry
July 11, 2026
Moira G. Semple, Sarah E. Mennenga, Ryan Smith et al.
Psychoplastogen compounds such as ketamine and MDMA have shown therapeutic promise for mood and trauma-related disorders, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying their effects remain poorly understood. Here, we applied a Brain-Epigenome-Wide Association Study (BEWAS) targeting brain-relevant genes to examine DNA methylation changes following treatment. Pre- and post-treatment blood (ketamine, N...
Brain and Cognition
July 9, 2026
Stephanie Clarke, Sonia Crottaz-Herbette, Simo Frestadius et al.
Several neuroimaging studies demonstrated that spiritual/religious beliefs and practices rely on the same brain regions as secular cognition. Several reviews shaped the framework within which religious and secular cognition interacts, emphasizing the need for a precise definition of religiousness and spirituality. Christian faith presents a well-defined theological context, characterized by...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
July 9, 2026
Alqassem Y. Hakami
Background Substance use disorders (SUDs) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) remain a major global health challenge, marked by high relapse rates and limited long-term effectiveness of existing treatments. Ketamine, a glutamatergic modulator with rapid neuroplastic effects, has emerged as a novel intervention for TRD and is increasingly investigated as an adjunctive treatment for...
Journal of Biological Chemistry
July 2026
Priyanka D Pinky, Warren D Smith, Miles T Wiley et al.
The growing perception that marijuana is safe during pregnancy has led to a marked increase in prenatal cannabis use, raising concerns about its long-term effects on brain development and cognition. This study investigated the consequences of prenatal delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure on hippocampal circuit function, synaptic plasticity, and memory in adolescent offspring using a...
FOCUS: The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry
July 1, 2026
Morgan S. Hardy, S. William Li, Samuel T. Wilkinson
Over the past two decades, ketamine has emerged as a rapid-acting antidepressant, especially among patients with treatment-resistant depression. As an N-methyl-d-aspartate glutamate receptor antagonist, ketamine has reshaped the understanding of the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of depression treatment. Ketamine induces a transient state of enhanced neuroplasticity and likely...
Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics
July 1, 2026
Stephen Rush, Henry A Nasrallah
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) represents an unmet challenge, accounting for disproportionate morbidity, disability, and healthcare burden in depression. Limitations of monoaminergic antidepressants have prompted a conceptual shift toward models emphasizing impaired neuroplasticity, synaptic dysfunction, and network dysregulation. This expert review synthesizes preclinical, translational,...
Medical Science of Ukraine
June 30, 2026
Viacheslav Zaika, Yan Tytarenko
Relevance. Depression is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, and a significant proportion of patients suffer from treatment-resistant forms of the disorder. An innovative approach involves the use of ketamine and esketamine, which are capable of inducing a “window of neuroplasticity” – a period of enhanced synaptogenesis and the formation of new neural connections. Theoretically,...
Asian Journal of Medical Sciences
June 30, 2026
Raja Suhail Shounthoo, Ajaiz Rasool, Athar Un Nisa Quraishi et al.
Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic introduced in the 1960s, has re-emerged as a versatile therapeutic agent extending beyond its traditional perioperative role. Its rapid antidepressant action in treatment-resistant depression and efficacy in acute and chronic pain syndromes have driven what is termed the “ketamine renaissance.” Unlike conventional monoaminergic antidepressants, ketamine...
Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
June 20, 2026
Agnieszka Bysiek, Izabela Szpręgiel, Adam Wojtas et al.
Psychedelics have emerged as a promising novel therapeutic approach for major depressive disorder (MDD). Altered activity and structural atrophy of the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and limbic structures are associated with depressive disorders. Psilocybin may reverse the loss of synaptic connections and restore the function of these brain regions. In this study, we investigated the effects...
Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
June 20, 2026
Zhen Xuen Brandon Low
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by persistent social-communication deficits, cognitive rigidity, and atypical sensory processing. Current pharmacological treatments, including risperidone and aripiprazole, provide only limited symptomatic relief and do not address the underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Converging evidence implicates dysregulated serotonergic signaling,...