Aims: To systematically review the literature on psychedelic-related mechanisms relevant to forensic psychiatry, examining potential therapeutic benefits linked to reduction in crime-related behaviour, associated clinical and legal risks, and the practical considerations required were such approaches ever to be explored within UK forensic mental health services. Methods: A systematic literature...
Aims: To examine whether psychedelic-like states of consciousness can be induced through brain stimulation techniques, evaluate their potential advantages over pharmacological psychedelics, and explore how stimulation-assisted psychotherapy may offer a clinically viable model for mental health treatment. Methods: A structured narrative review was conducted using PubMed and PsycINFO,examining...
The neuropsychological effects of psychedelic compounds are well-documented; however, their respiratory activity is less clear. Since respiration is a physiologically significant process and psychedelics have increasingly attracted attention in therapies, assessing the potential effects on respiration is relevant. The present narrative literature review compiled evidence on serotonergic...
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains one of psychiatry's most challenging disorders, common, disabling, and biologically complex. Despite decades of research, only sertraline and paroxetine are FDA-approved, both with modest efficacy. Even first-line trauma-focused psychotherapies leave up to half of patients with persistent symptoms. However, advances in neurobiology are reframing...
Recent clinical trials have suggested the safety and efficacy of psychedelic therapy for treatment-resistant depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, addiction, and end-of-life distress. While neurobiological mechanisms such as 5-HT2A receptor activation, increased neural entropy, and default mode network modulation have been well-characterized, significantly less attention has been given to...
Although research on psychedelics (hallucinogenic serotonin 2 A or 5-HT2A agonists) has shown initial promise in ameliorating a range of psychiatric conditions, the mechanisms by which psychedelics promote therapeutic benefits have yet to be elucidated. Researchers have posited enhancements in cognitive flexibility as a transdiagnostic mechanism through which psychedelics could disrupt...
Serotonergic psychedelics are increasingly investigated as treatments for affective disorders. Concerns persist regarding their potential to induce hypomania or mania, particularly in individuals with bipolar spectrum vulnerability. Whether these substances precipitate transient mood switches or contribute to persistent bipolar illness or diagnostic transition remains unclear. We conducted a...
Major depressive disorder (MDD) and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) remain leading causes of disability, providing the impetus for receptor-level treatment strategies beyond monoamine reuptake. The serotonin 5-HT2B receptor (5-HT2BR) is uniquely positioned at the interface of central-antidepressant mechanisms and peripheral cardiac risks. Herein, we reviewed preclinical, translational and...
Anxiety disorders are common and disabling. Current drugs have limited efficacy, notable side-effects and little innovation. This editorial briefly reviews past, current and emerging anxiolytic treatments, including psychedelic-assisted therapies, and highlights key themes. There remains a major need for improved medications to reduce disability and improve quality of life.
Treatment-resistant depression is a condition with significant morbidity, despite the current standard of treatment, including traditional pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, augmentation strategies and electroconvulsive therapy. While novel therapies have emerged, such as ketamine/esketamine, transcranial magnetic stimulation and psilocybin-assisted therapy, the uptake of these treatments is...