Fear-related psychiatric disorders such as phobias and anxiety are insufficiently treated by current therapies. Psychedelics targeting 5-HT₂A receptors show promise in modulating fear circuits, but their specific neurobiological substrates remain unclear. This study investigates the effects of 4-acetoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (4-AcO-DMT), a psychedelic compound, on innate fear responses and...
Background. Ketamine provides rapid but short-lived antidepressant effects for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). To prolong this response, ketamine-assisted therapy (KAT) combines the drug's pharmacological effects with psychotherapy. Aim. This study aims to analyze scientific evidence regarding the synergistic interaction between ketamine's pharmacological effects and modern...
Preprints.orgJune 30, 2026Dirk Revenstorf, Joost (j.b.c.) Mertens, Martin Schipplick
preprint
The therapeutic use of ketamine and other psychoactive substances in psychiatry is attracting growing research interest, particularly in treatment-resistant depression and related conditions refractory to conventional care. Ketamine exerts direct pharmacological antidepressant effects through NMDA receptor antagonism and downstream neuroplastic mechanisms; its combination with structured...
NeuropsychiatrieJune 30, 2026Cielo A Estela-Fernandez, Reem Mohamed Yousif Elsheikh, Dal Bianco Beatrice et al.
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a heterogeneous, debilitating disorder. A distinct subgroup within the MDD spectrum is identified to have treatment-resistant depression (TRD). There is an impetus to find alternative treatments for TRD to reduce disease burden and improve quality of life. Psychedelics have been used in the treatment of various psychiatric disorders since the 1950s, with...
The research, understanding, and implementation of psychedelic therapies is characterised by a layered complexity that arises from the dynamic interactions between pharmacological and extra-pharmacological factors, and the embeddedness of psychedelics within broader societal, legal, and regulatory systems ill-equipped to accommodate them. This complexity is compounded by an epistemic...
Substance use disorders (SUDs) represent a persistent global public health burden for which existing pharmacological and behavioral interventions show limited long-term efficacy across various patient populations (Sinha, 2011). Psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) has reemerged as a promising therapeutic treatment approach and has had renewed clinical interest with a growing amount of research...
Major depressive disorder (MDD) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) are prevalent and debilitating conditions. Over 50% of patients have inadequate response to first-line serotonergic antidepressants and are left with suboptimal treatment options. Rapid-acting and individually tailored treatments for MDD remain major unmet needs. This review discusses promising rapid-acting treatments,...
Revista fisio&terapiaJune 25, 2026Daiane Lima de Lara Ziles, Jigliane Tainã Macedo de Souza, Yoda Janaina Ikenohuchi et al.
The treatment of resistant depression represents a significant challenge in psychiatry, as a considerable portion of patients do not adequately respond to conventional therapies. In this context, new psychedelic drugs have emerged as promising therapeutic alternatives, garnering increasing interest from the scientific and clinical community. The overall objective of this research is to analyze...
Introduction: Depressive disorders are one of the greatest public health challenges worldwide, affecting up to 16% of the population over a lifetime and significantly impacting quality of life, disability, and premature mortality. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability, despite the availability of numerous treatment options. In 20–50% of patients, traditional...
Clinical trials investigating psychedelic compounds for depression and anxiety-related disorders are yielding promising preliminary results. Psychedelics produce profound alterations in brain function—such as suppression of the default mode network and thalamocortical dysregulation—leading to intense subjective experiences including ego dissolution and mystical-type states. While often...