The gut-brain axis (GBA) refers to the sophisticated bidirectional communication system connecting the digestive system with the central nervous system. This interaction is enabled by a series of intricate signaling processes, encompassing various neuro-immune and hormonal pathways. The association between the gut microbiome and mental health has garnered immense scientific and public interest,...
Frontiers in PharmacologyMay 9, 2023Kabirullah Lutfy, Robert N. Pechnick, Nissar A. Darmani1 citation
Pharmacology of new psychoactive substancesSeveral classes of novel psychoactive substances have been introduced in illicit markets throughout the world and more are being developed.They present major law enforcement challenges and global public health threats.However, there is limited information on their harmful effects on the central nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, and gastrointestinal...
Background Schizophrenia is a chronic neuropsychiatric disease characterized by neurochemical, neurotrophic, and oxido-inflammatory derangements. Geraniol is a neuroactive acyclic isoprenoid monoterpene, which has been reported to demonstrate depressant and antioxidant/anti-inflammatory activities. Herein, we investigated whether geraniol could prevent or reverse ketamine-induced...
While the potential of serotonergic psychedelics and related substances as adjuncts in substance-assisted psychotherapy (SAPT) has been investigated for the treatment of several disorders, evidence for the appropriate therapeutic conduct in administration sessions is sparse. In this article, we discuss the current evidence for best therapeutic practice during administration sessions with...
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment options, including the potential use of psychedelic-assisted therapy, are reviewed. Traditional PTSD treatment remains ineffective for many, and includes, trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy, eye movement desensitization and remodeling, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Evidence has shown that with further supportive research,...
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘Ecstasy’ or ‘Molly’) is a synthetic psychostimulant and entactogenic drug of abuse that augments feelings of pleasure, increases energy, and distorts sensory perception. MDMA increases serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine neurotransmission within the mesolimbic reward pathway, which impacts human sexual function. While dopamine is implicated as a...
PhysiologyMay 1, 2023Joshua Wyrosdic, Zahra Thirouin, Charles Bourque
Clinical studies have shown that hyponatremia can be induced by the ingestion of the recreational drug MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, ecstasy) when combined with a water intake (Baggot et al., 2016). However, the mechanisms by which MDMA induces hyponatremia is unknown. Hyponatremia is a life-threatening condition that causes rapid swelling of the brain and is commonly encountered...
Archives of ToxicologyMay 1, 2023Marie H Deventer, Mattias Persson, Antonio Laus et al.7 citations
New psychoactive substances (NPS) are introduced on the illicit drug market at a rapid pace. Their molecular targets are often inadequately elucidated, which contributes to the delayed characterization of their pharmacological effects. Inspired by earlier findings, this study set out to investigate the µ opioid receptor (MOR) activation potential of a large set of psychedelics, substances which...
Over the past decade, psychedelic compounds have emerged as potentially transformative therapeutics for a variety of intractable neuropsychiatric conditions. However, historically most of the basic science has utilized these compounds as probes to interrogate various endogenous neurotransmitter systems-mainly the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor. With the renewed interest in utilizing these compounds...
Blinding of treatment allocation in clinical trials in psychiatry is regarded as an ideal. The potential impact of unblinding chimes with a general concern for psychological research: so-called demand characteristics can undermine confidence in findings from experimental and clinical studies. Scepticism can result in nihilism. The reliance on subjective report of symptoms in clinical trials of...