Psychedelics have long histories of use in Indigenous communities for healing, spiritual, and ceremonial purposes. In contrast, Western psychedelic science has emerged through frameworks shaped by colonization, racism, and medicalization. These systems often marginalize and exclude the very communities most impacted by trauma, including transgender and gender-expansive (TGE) individuals,...
Eating disorders (EDs) remain challenging to treat, with high dropout and low remission rates in cognitive-behavioral therapy for EDs (CBT-ED). Psilocybin treatment (PT) demonstrates therapeutic potential to enhance CBT-ED by exerting several neurobiological, psychological, and experiential effects (e.g., antidepressant, neuroplasticity, emotional openness) that are hypothesized to increase...
PsychopharmacologyMarch 4, 2026Ava M. Mac, Srinivasu Kallakuri, Alixandria T. Mascarin et al.
MDMA (3–4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine) assisted psychotherapy has gained considerable attention as a potential adjuvant therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Reports of the nonmedical use of MDMA suggest its adverse effects may include anxiety and anhedonia. However, the time course of these signs and symptoms and the potential alterations in neurotransmitter levels that may...
Support for the legal use of psilocybin mushrooms (23%) is much lower than it is for cannabis (65%), according to a new RAND research report, released Feb. 24. For LSD and 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)–assisted therapy, support for legal use is closer to 10%.
Rationale: Ego-dissolution represents a key therapeutic mechanism in psychedelic-assisted therapy, yet current measurement approaches may inadequately capture its multidimensional nature.Objective: To develop and validate the Multidimensional Ego-Dissolution Assessment (MEDA) and examine substance-specific patterns across classical psychedelics.Methods: Items from three validated scales...
This article explores innovative pharmacologic treatments for eating disorders, focusing on psychedelics, stimulant medications, and other emerging therapies. Preliminary evidence for psychedelics (eg, psilocybin) highlight their potential to enhance cognitive flexibility and support psychological interventions in some eating disorders (eg, anorexia nervosa). Stimulants like lisdexamfetamine...
Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of the brain to modify synaptic connections and reorganize neural circuits, underpinning cognitive function, emotional regulation, and recovery from injury. Recent advances have redefined adult neuroplasticity as more dynamic and therapeutically accessible than previously thought, spurring investigation into pharmacological interventions that can augment...
Muslims living in the United States (MLUS) are underrepresented in psychedelics research. Despite growing research on psychedelic-assisted mental health care, little is known about its acceptance among MLUS, a population with some history of rejecting mental health services. This study examined whether MLUS' rejection attitudes toward mental health services were related to lower acceptance of...
BACKGROUND: Alcohol use disorder and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) often co-occur, presenting a major clinical challenge with limited effective treatments. However, ketamine produces rapid antidepressant effects and has shown promise in reducing alcohol use, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) can be effective for both substance use and mood disorders. This study explores the...
Meaning is a primary existential concern in those with advanced illnesses and functions as an important coping mechanism. Loss of meaning contributes to existential distress, and, in particular, may manifest as demoralization, a syndrome of poor coping that is associated with negative outcomes. Psychedelics are unique psychoactive compounds that, among other properties, are proposed to enhance...