Psychoactives
March 25, 2024
Agnieszka D. Sekula, Prashanth Puspanathan, Luke A. Downey et al.
1 citation
A set of interventions that can produce altered states of consciousness (ASC) have shown utility in the treatment of substance misuse. In this review, we examine addiction-related outcomes associated with three common interventions that produce ASCs: psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PP), Transcendental Meditation (TM) and hypnotherapy (HT). While procedurally distinct, all three...
Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence and Applications
March 22, 2024
Yixin Yu, Yashi Shuai, Ran Wan
This study aimed to explore the effect of artificial intelligence-generated artwork (AIGC) as an adjunct to mindfulness meditation on the improvement of anxiety symptoms in retired people. We recruited a group of retired people with anxiety symptoms and randomly divided them into two groups: the mindfulness meditation group (N=20) and the mindfulness meditation +AIGC group (N=20). The...
Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
March 22, 2024
David Nutt, Celia J. A. Morgan, Sukhpreet Klaire
This Perspectives piece gives a brief overview on the last 70 years of psychedelic research in relation to the treatment of mental illness with a particular focus on addictions. We briefly precis the work in the 19650s/60s that started following the discovery of LSD. Then we overview research developments over the past twenty years driven by emerging neuroscience on these agents, the rise of...
Neuroethics
March 16, 2024
Nicolas Langlitz, Alex K. Gearin
26 citations
Abstract In the historical context of a crisis in biological psychiatry, psychedelic drugs paired with psychotherapy are globally re-emerging in research clinics as a potential transdiagnostic therapy for treating mood disorders, addictions, and other forms of psychological distress. The treatments are poised to soon shift from clinical trials to widespread service delivery in places like...
PLoS One
March 14, 2024
Adam W. Levin, Rafaelle Lancelotta, Nathan D. Sepeda et al.
65 citations
We examined if the therapeutic alliance between study participants and intervention facilitators in a psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) trial changed over time and whether there were relationships between alliance, acute psilocybin experiences, and depression outcomes. In a randomized, waiting list-controlled clinical trial for major depressive disorder in adults ( N = 24), participants were...
Mental Health Weekly
March 11, 2024
Valerie A. Canady
In response to the psychological trauma inflicted by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Fluence, a leader in comprehensive, evidence‐based training in psychedelic therapy announced last week a collaboration with the Ukrainian Psychedelic Research Association (UPRA) and the U.S. nonprofit Health Ukraine Trauma (HUT), to provide free training in psychedelic therapy to Ukrainian psychologists and...
Med
March 8, 2024
Scott T Aaronson, Zofia Kozak
1 citation
Psilocybin has demonstrated efficacy for treating depression; however, psychiatrically complex patients have been excluded from trials. A recent clinical trial by Rosenblat at al.1 demonstrates feasibility of a flexible dosing schedule of psilocybin in individuals with severely treatment-resistant depression (TRD), including those with co-morbid conditions or bipolar II disorder (BPII),...
Med
March 8, 2024
Joshua D. Rosenblat, Shakila Meshkat, Zoe Doyle et al.
97 citations
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) has been associated with antidepressant effects. Trials to date have typically excluded participants with complex presentations. Our aim was to determine the feasibility of PAP in a complex population, including high levels of treatment resistance in major depressive and bipolar disorder and patients with baseline suicidality and significant comorbidity....
March 6, 2024
Bill Brennan, Alex Belser
6 citations
Abstract EMBARK Psychedelic Therapy for Depression: A New Approach for the Whole Person is a comprehensive guidebook for clinicians that presents a novel therapeutic framework for administering psychedelic medicines. The EMBARK model was developed in response to the growing interest in psychedelic medicines for treating mental health disorders, particularly depression, and the identified gaps...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
March 4, 2024
Alessia Marrocu, Hannes Kettner, Brandon Weiss et al.
51 citations
Background: Resurgent psychedelic research has largely supported the safety and efficacy of psychedelic therapy for the treatment of various psychiatric disorders. As psychedelic use and therapy increase in prevalence, so does the importance of understanding associated risks. Cases of prolonged negative psychological responses to psychedelic therapy seem to be rare; however, studies are limited...
American Journal of Therapeutics
March 1, 2024
Kirsten Cherian, Kenneth Shinozuka, Burton J. Tabaac et al.
9 citations
BACKGROUND: Ibogaine is a plant-derived alkaloid that has been used for thousands of years in rites of passage and spiritual ceremonies in West-Central Africa. In the West, it has primarily been used and studied for its anti-addictive properties and more recently for other neuropsychiatric indications, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and traumatic brain injury....
Alpha psychiatry
March 1, 2024
Anna Famuła, Jakub Radoszewski, Tomasz Czerwiec et al.
8 citations
Substance use disorder (SUD) continues to pose a significant global health challenge, necessitating innovative and effective therapeutic interventions. Ketamine, traditionally recognized for its anesthetic properties, has emerged as a novel and promising avenue for the treatment of SUD. This narrative review critically examines the current body of literature surrounding the use of ketamine in...
Psychedelic Medicine
March 1, 2024
Jason B. Luoma, Luke R Allen, Veronika Gold et al.
14 citations
MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT) is an emerging treatment modality, with recent phase 3 trials indicating its potential for regulatory approval. Central to this therapy is the role of touch, yet its empirical evaluation in MDMA-AT, and psychotherapy in general, remains limited. The use of touch in combination with MDMA raises concerns about power imbalances and ethical boundaries. This article...
Psychedelic Medicine
March 1, 2024
Brian S. Barnett, Miranda Arakelian, David Beebe et al.
28 citations
Psilocybin, a classic hallucinogen, may eventually be approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for treatment-resistant depression. However, we are aware of only one published national survey of American psychiatrists regarding their opinions about hallucinogens and hallucinogen-assisted therapy, conducted by our group in 2016. Here, we report a repeat survey, using virtually...
Psychedelic Medicine
March 1, 2024
Meghan Hibicke, Gerald Billac, Charles D. Nichols
2 citations
Psychedelics such as psilocybin have been shown to have persistent antidepressant effects, but with considerable individual variability in optimal dosing. Intravenous (IV) dosing is rapid onset and quickly titrated, possibly preceded by an anxiolytic for patient comfort. We explored the viability of IV psilocin with and without preadministration of lorazepam for possible future inpatient...
Journal of Affective Disorders
February 27, 2024
Debora Copa, David Erritzøe, Bruna Giribaldi et al.
31 citations
BackgroundPsilocybin is a serotonergic psychedelic drug under assessment as a potential therapy for treatment-resistant and major depression. Heterogeneous treatment responses raise interest in predicting the outcome from baseline data.MethodsA machine learning pipeline was implemented to investigate baseline resting-state functional connectivity measured with functional magnetic resonance...
February 26, 2024
Bruce Ecker, Robin Ticic, Laurel Hulley
It is well established that psychedelic experiences can result in potent therapeutic change when induced within a program of psychotherapy that skillfully provides preparation of mindset, an environment of accompaniment, safety, and supportiveness during the experience(s), and a subsequent process of review, reflection, and integration. The question addressed in this chapter is whether...
Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy
February 20, 2024
Gabriella Ann Hogan, Karen Elaine Wagner, Erin Tichenor et al.
5 citations
Background. Interest in the use of psychedelics for mental health therapy is burgeoning. Qualitative research methods are increasingly used to understand patient's experiences; however, there is a lack of literature that explores psychedelic use from an occupational perspective. Purpose. To conduct a scoping review of qualitative literature on the experiences of psychedelic use for the purpose...
Scientific Reports
February 19, 2024
Rosalind McAlpine, Matthew D. Sacchet, Otto Simonsson et al.
13 citations
Psychedelic substances induce profound alterations in consciousness. Careful preparation is therefore essential to limit adverse reactions, enhance therapeutic benefits, and maintain user safety. This paper describes the development of a self-directed, digital intervention for psychedelic preparation. Drawing on elements from the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) framework for developing...
Neuroethics
February 15, 2024
Daniel Villiger
26 citations
A psychedelic renaissance is currently taking place in mental healthcare. The number of psychedelic-assisted therapy trials is growing steadily, and some countries already grant psychiatrists special permission to use psychedelics in non-research contexts under certain conditions. These clinical advances must be accompanied by ethical inquiry. One pressing ethical question involves whether...