Emil Kraepelin believed that dementia praecox, the disorder we now call schizophrenia, was caused by the brain being poisoned with toxins generated in other parts of the body, especially the mouth, intestine or genitals. In this regard, Kraepelin hinted at the microbiome and conceptualized microbial molecules as drivers of severe psychiatric illness. However, it was not until the coronavirus...
Alcohol abuse is a leading risk factor for the public health burden worldwide. Approved pharmacotherapies have demonstrated limited effectiveness over the last few decades in treating alcohol use disorders (AUD). New therapeutic approaches are therefore urgently needed. Historical and recent clinical trials using psychedelics in conjunction with psychotherapy demonstrated encouraging results in...
Six fatalities have occurred from the ingestion of a combination of new psychoactive substances (NPSs), 4-fluoroamphetamine (4FA) and 2-(4-chloro-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine (25C-NBOMe) over a 9-month period. Four of these fatalities (one older female and three young males) were from direct adverse effects of drugs, and one each from a fall while being intoxicated...
DiagnosticsMarch 10, 2023Liliana Dragomir, Virginia Marina, Mihaela Anghele et al.
MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; commonly referred to as “Molly” or “ecstasy”) is a synthetic compound, structurally and pharmacologically similar to both amphetamines and mescaline. MDMA differs somewhat from traditional amphetamines in that it is not structurally similar to serotonin. Cocaine is rare and cannabis is consumed less frequently than in Western Europe. Heroin is the drug...
Abstract Psychedelic indolethylamines have emerged as potential medicines to treat several psychiatric pathologies. Natural sources of these compounds include ‘magic mushrooms’, plants used to prepare ahayuasca, and toads. Owing to the occurrence of indolethylamines such as N,N-dimethyltryptamine, toad skin and parotid gland preparations have a history of ceremonial use, yet their biosynthesis...
Analogues of 4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (psilocybin) are being sold on recreational drug markets and developed as potential medications for psychedelic-assisted therapies. Many of these tryptamine-based psilocybin analogues produce psychedelic-like effects in rodents and humans primarily by agonist activity at serotonin 2A receptors (5-HT2A). However, the comprehensive...
Major Depression Disease is a common mental illness that affects more than 322 million people worldwide and it is one of the leading causes of mental and physical disability. The etiology of depression is a complex interplay of psychological, social, and biological factors. Currently, psychopharmacotherapy is based mainly on the monoamine theory, which states that depression is caused by an...
Introduction Despite emerging evidence suggesting the efficacy of psilocybin in the treatment of mood disorders such as depression, the exact mechanisms by which psilocybin is able to elicit these antidepressant effects remains unknown. Objectives As the use of psilocybin as a treatment modality for depression has garnered increasing interest, this study aims to summarize the existing evidence...
INTRODUCTION: Treatment resistant depression (TRD) is estimated to affect 10–30% of patients with major depressive disorder (Al‑Harbi et al. Patient Prefer Adherence 2012; 6 369–88). Esketamine nasal spray (NS), in combination with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), increases remission and response rates in patients with TRD...
Abstract MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) was originally synthesized and patented by the Merck chemical company in 1914. It was not explored for human use until the 1970–80s when there were published reports that it could be a useful catalyst to psychotherapy, in part because it often produced reduced anxiety and increased emotional openness. In 1985, in response to media attention to...