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...
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...
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...
Pilot and Feasibility Studies
February 12, 2024
Alesha Wells, A P Suresh Muthukumaraswamy, Eva Morunga et al.
10 citations
An advanced cancer diagnosis can be associated with a significant profile of distress. Psychedelic compounds have shown clinically significant effects in the treatment of psychological distress in patients with advanced-stage cancer. Given the challenges of delivering timely and effective intervention in the advanced cancer context, it is possible that an alternative, more pragmatic, approach...
Scientific Reports
February 8, 2024
Rosalind McAlpine, George Blackburne, Sunjeev K. Kamboj
24 citations
Preparing participants for psychedelic experiences is crucial for ensuring these experiences are safe and, potentially beneficial. However, there is currently no validated measure to assess the extent to which participants are well-prepared for such experiences. Our study aimed to address this gap by developing, validating, and testing the Psychedelic Preparedness Scale (PPS). Using a novel...