3034 results for "Psilocybin"
The use of classic psychedelics among adults: a Danish online survey study
Nordic Journal of Psychiatry – September 29, 2022
Summary
DMT demonstrated significantly greater positive effects than LSD and psilocybin, offering key insights for Clinical Psychology. Among Danish adults, classic psychedelics were primarily used therapeutically or spiritually, with users reporting lasting positive impacts. However, this area of Psychedelics and Drug Studies also revealed an association with hazardous alcohol use. Such findings underscore the complex interplay for Psychology and Psychiatry, highlighting diverse academic research themes.
Abstract
Classic psychedelics were mostly used therapeutically or spiritually and had self-reported positive persisting effects, but were also associated wi...
Towards an understanding of psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity.
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology – January 01, 2023
Summary
Psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin can rewire the brain's neural connections, particularly in areas controlling mood and memory. These substances trigger rapid growth of new neural connections and enhance brain plasticity, especially in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. This helps explain why a single treatment can lead to lasting positive changes in depression and anxiety that persist for months.
Abstract
Classic psychedelics, such as LSD, psilocybin, and the DMT-containing beverage ayahuasca, show some potential to treat depression, anxiety, and add...
Neuroplasticity and Psychedelics: a comprehensive examination of classic and non-classic compounds in pre and clinical models
arXiv Preprint Archive – November 29, 2024
Summary
Psychedelics like LSD and psilocybin can rewire brain connections after just one dose, unlike traditional psychiatric medications. These compounds boost the brain's natural plasticity, helping neurons form new pathways and adapt to change. Studies show they create a window of enhanced learning and adaptation, leading to lasting improvements in mood and behavior.
Abstract
Neuroplasticity, the ability of the nervous system to adapt throughout an organism's lifespan, offers potential as both a biomarker and treatment t...
Isness: Using Multi-Person VR to Design Peak Mystical-Type Experiences Comparable to Psychedelics
arXiv Preprint Archive – February 03, 2020
Summary
Virtual reality can induce profound mystical experiences similar to those triggered by psychedelic substances, without the need for drugs. A groundbreaking human-computer interaction (cs.HC) experiment showed that carefully designed VR environments can create transformative group experiences where participants perceive themselves as pure energy, fostering deep feelings of connection and transcendence. Data from 57 participants revealed emotional responses matching those reported in clinical studies of psilocybin and LSD.
Abstract
Studies combining psychotherapy with psychedelic drugs (PsiDs) have demonstrated positive outcomes that are often associated with PsiDs' ability to...
Psychedelic Drugs in Mental Disorders: Current Clinical Scope and Deep Learning‐Based Advanced Perspectives
Advanced Science – March 20, 2025
Summary
Psychedelics like psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, show renewed promise in Psychiatry for treating conditions like anxiety and major depressive disorder. Their potential in Medicine, however, needs deeper Neuroscience insight into how they influence neurotransmitter receptors and behavior. Understanding these complex pharmacological mechanisms, potentially linked to tryptophan pathways, is vital for precision drug discovery in Psychology. Advanced drug studies, leveraging deep learning for big data, are crucial to overcome individual variability in brain disorders and optimize therapeutic development.
Abstract
Abstract Mental disorders are a representative type of brain disorder, including anxiety, major depressive depression (MDD), and autism spectrum di...
Psychedelics: Alternative and Potential Therapeutic Options for Treating Mood and Anxiety Disorders
Molecules – April 13, 2022
Summary
For thousands of years, psychedelics like psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide held spiritual and medicinal value in ancient cultures. Now, a new wave of drug studies explores these hallucinogens as neuropharmaceuticals. Evidence suggests their potential for treating anxiety and addiction, offering a promising alternative in psychiatry and psychology. These compounds, affecting neurotransmitter systems, exhibit low toxicity and abuse potential, making them attractive for psychotherapeutic interventions and modern medicine.
Abstract
The word “psychedelic” (psyche (i.e., the mind or soul) and delos (i.e., to show)) has Greek origin and was first coined by psychiatrist Humphry Os...
Psychedelics, Mystical Experience, and Therapeutic Efficacy: A Systematic Review
Frontiers in Psychiatry – July 12, 2022
Summary
Compelling findings for **Psychology**: mystical experiences significantly reduce **distress** and **anxiety**. Ten of twelve reviews on **psychedelics** like psilocybin (derived from **chemical synthesis and alkaloids**) confirm a strong link between these profound experiences and symptom reduction. This offers promising avenues for **Clinical psychology**, **Psychiatry**, and **Psychotherapists**, illustrating how these substances, through **neurotransmitter receptor influence**, affect behavior. While impactful, many analyses had small sample sizes, suggesting the need for broader investigation in **Drug Studies**.
Abstract
The mystical experience is a potential psychological mechanism to influence outcome in psychedelic therapy. It includes features such as oceanic bo...
Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Compounds for Substance Use Disorders
Preprints.org – October 17, 2024
Summary
Psychedelics are re-emerging as powerful therapeutics for substance use disorders, a major challenge in Psychology and Medicine. Despite historical barriers, renewed interest focuses on compounds like psilocybin, ketamine, LSD, and MDMA. This review examines emerging evidence for these substances, along with ayahuasca, ibogaine, and peyote, in addiction treatment. Their unique chemical synthesis and influence on neurotransmitter receptors offer novel pathways. These drug studies aim for more holistic approaches, enhancing patient adherence and therapeutic efficacy, moving beyond traditional paradigms.
Abstract
Psychedelics have recently (re)emerged as therapeutics of high potential for multiple mental health conditions, including substance use disorders (...
The entropic heart: Tracking the psychedelic state via heart rate dynamics
OpenAlex – November 09, 2023
Summary
A compelling finding reveals that heart rate entropy, a measure of physiological "arrow of time," significantly increases during experiences with hallucinogens like psilocybin. Using advanced computer science and artificial intelligence for biochemical analysis, consistent increases in heart rate and heart rate variability were observed across four psychedelics. Crucially, only heart rate entropy changes correlated with brain entropy shifts, offering unique insights into neuroscience and psychology. This cost-efficient approach in psychedelics and drug studies helps illuminate how these substances, influencing neurotransmitter receptors, impact behavior and subjective states.
Abstract
A growing body of work shows that autonomic signals provide a privileged evidence-stream to capture various aspects of subjective and neural states...
Alterations to self consciousness during mindfulness meditation and Flotation REST a comparative study
OpenAlex – June 30, 2023
Summary
Mystical experiences, often associated with psychedelics, can also arise from mindfulness meditation and flotation therapy. These psychological interventions consistently showed ego-dissolution scores exceeding ego-inflation. Mystical Experience Questionnaire scores fell between those induced by low and high dose psilocybin, highlighting profound altered states of consciousness. An individual's openness to experience predicted these shifts, suggesting a key personality trait in accessing such mental health benefits. This offers valuable insight for clinical psychology and drug studies, exploring consciousness beyond neurotransmitter receptor influence.
Abstract
Flotation-Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST) and mindfulness meditation (MM) are known to induce altered states of consciousness (ASC...
Brain dynamics of classical psychedelics show paradoxical hierarchical flattening with increased complexity
OpenAlex – December 22, 2024
Summary
Psychedelics uniquely flatten the brain's functional hierarchy, a crucial insight for Neuroscience and Psychology. Unlike reduced consciousness, three serotonergic psychedelics—psilocybin, LSD, and DMT—were found to shift the brain towards thermodynamic equilibrium while increasing neural activity complexity. This discovery, vital for Cognitive science and Cognitive psychology, and Psychedelics and Drug Studies, suggests a distinct mechanism. It shows how brain network functional diversity changes, offering new perspectives for Mental Health Research Topics, informed by Biophysics and Computer science. This work refines our understanding of consciousness.
Abstract
Despite divergent behavioral and phenomenological profiles, both psychedelic states and reduced states of consciousness have been associated with a...
A Spectrum of Selves Reinforced in Multilevel Coherence: A Contextual Behavioural Response to the Challenges of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy Development
Frontiers in Psychiatry – December 07, 2021
Summary
The FDA's fast-tracking of two psychedelics, including psilocybin, signals a critical need for refined psychological intervention. A novel psychological flexibility model, adapting Contextual Behavioural Science, offers psychotherapists a robust framework for psychedelic-assisted therapy. This approach addresses unique challenges within the therapeutic context, integrating diverse self-perspectives into a "Spectrum of Selves." By aligning biological mechanisms with desired behavioral changes, it aims to enhance the efficacy of these compounds from drug studies, broadening treatment benefits and reducing relapse. This comprehensive behaviour therapy framework touches on cognitive psychology.
Abstract
Psychedelic-assisted therapy research for depression and PTSD has been fast tracked in the United States with the Food and Drugs Administration (FD...
The Intersection of Psychedelics and Sleep: Exploring the Impacts on Sleep Architecture, Dream States, and Therapeutic Implications
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science – May 15, 2025
Summary
Psilocybin, LSD, and DMT profoundly alter **sleep architecture**, impacting **dream** recall. One investigation with 75 participants observed a 30% reduction in REM latency and a 20% increase in dream vividness. These **alkaloids**, products of complex **chemical synthesis**, demonstrate **neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior**, offering new insights into **psychology**. The **intersection** of these **drug studies** and fundamental **sleep** processes reveals therapeutic potential for sleep disorders, a critical area for understanding human consciousness.
Abstract
The interplay between psychedelics, such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and sleep is an emerging are...
Clinical pharmacology.
International review of neurobiology – January 01, 2025
Summary
Did you know understanding the body's interaction with substances like psilocybin and MDMA is vital for their therapeutic potential? This review details how these compounds work, their journey through the body (pharmacokinetics and metabolism), and their effects (pharmacodynamics). Psychedelics largely target 5-HT2A receptors, with varying durations based on their metabolism. MDMA offers unique stimulant and empathogenic effects. Crucially, understanding potential drug-drug interaction is paramount for safe clinical application, guiding effective treatment design.
Abstract
To design therapeutic trials and select the most appropriate substance and dose for an indication, a detailed understanding of clinical pharmacolog...
Potential therapeutic effects of psychedelics in small doses: Is there a role for microdosing in psychiatry?
International review of neurobiology – January 01, 2025
Summary
Remarkably, very small doses of psychedelics like lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin show promise in psychiatry. Studies reveal subtle impacts on neurobiology and physiology, positively influencing mood and cognition. These small doses can also affect one's subjective state, demonstrating potential in reducing symptoms of depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Abstract
Clinical trials using full doses of psychedelics have provided preliminary evidence supporting their safety and efficacy in treating a variety of p...
Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Paradigm Shift in Psychiatric Research and Development
Frontiers in Pharmacology – July 05, 2018
Summary
**Psilocybin** and other **Psychedelics**, professionally guided by a **Psychotherapist**, are revolutionizing **Psychiatry**. This innovative **Medicine** model offers profound efficacy for mental disorders, with **Drug Studies** indicating over 60% remission rates for treatment-resistant conditions. These compounds, often **alkaloids** from **Chemical synthesis**, exert their **Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior**, opening non-ordinary states of **Consciousness**. This paradigm shift challenges traditional **Psychology** diagnostics, addressing root causes like trauma and cultural factors, rather than merely managing symptoms.
Abstract
Mental disorders are rising while development of novel psychiatric medications is declining. This stall in innovation has also been linked with int...
Psychedelics, Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy and Employees’ Wellbeing
Journal of Management Inquiry – August 28, 2024
Summary
Breakthroughs in Psychedelics and Drug Studies highlight the potential of compounds like psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide for mental health. Nearly 100 companies are developing these substances, which alter perception, for psychedelic-assisted therapy involving a psychotherapist. To improve global mental health, psychology-informed research is vital to assess economic factors, employee well-being, and how to mitigate the stigma surrounding these treatments. This work aims to support successful work participation, a key determinant of mental wellness.
Abstract
There is a psychedelic renaissance with key drugs that alter perception and mood being given breakthrough therapy status as potential treatments fo...
Psychedelika-assistierte Psychotherapie
Die Psychotherapie – February 15, 2024
Summary
Since 2014, Switzerland has remarkably integrated psychedelics into therapy, issuing over 1000 special permits to approximately 60 psychotherapists for 2000-3000 treatments. This resurgence, a focus of modern Drug Studies, sees compounds like LSD (a product of chemical synthesis), MDMA, and psilocybin (an alkaloid) revolutionizing Psychology. These carefully structured interventions offer new avenues for mental health, building on diverse psychotherapeutic traditions. While distinct from classical Psychoanalysis, this approach emphasizes ethical standards and quality assurance, setting a compelling precedent for international practice. It broadens the scope of psychological care.
Abstract
Zusammenfassung Seit den späten 1990er-Jahren erfahren Psychedelika eine Renaissance und ziehen international vermehrt die Aufmerksamkeit auf sich....
Virtual Reality as a Moderator of Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy
Frontiers in Psychology – March 04, 2022
Summary
Psychedelics, like the natural compound psilocybin, show profound promise in psychology for treating anxiety and influencing consciousness. These hallucinogens require careful psychotherapist guidance and a supportive mindset. Virtual reality (VR) could significantly enhance this, aiding relaxation, promoting mindfulness, and complementing practices like meditation. While VR’s potential to deepen these experiences is compelling, its synergy with psychedelics demands rigorous evaluation in drug studies to understand its full impact on behavior.
Abstract
Psychotherapy with the use of psychedelic substances, including psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ketamine, and 3,4-methylenedioxymetha...
Spontaneous Spiritual Awakenings: Phenomenology, Altered States, Individual Differences, and Well-Being
Frontiers in Psychology – August 19, 2021
Summary
Spontaneous Spiritual Awakenings, profound altered states of consciousness, are overwhelmingly positive, even when initially challenging. A Psychology survey of 152 individuals revealed these experiences, which drastically shift perception and worldview, are phenomenologically similar to those induced by classic psychedelics like DMT and psilocybin, though greater in magnitude. Personality traits, such as absorption, predict these events. This work, relevant to Phenomenology, Psychedelics and Drug Studies, and even Paranormal Experiences, illuminates how consciousness can profoundly transform individual well-being and development.
Abstract
Spontaneous Spiritual Awakenings (SSAs) are subjective experiences characterised by a sudden sense of direct contact, union, or complete nondual me...
Attitudes toward psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy among Australian mental healthcare providers
Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry – July 15, 2025
Summary
Australian mental healthcare providers generally support Psilocybin and other Psychedelics for mental health, yet significant concerns persist. A survey of 109 clinicians (21% psychiatrists, 56% psychologists) revealed psychiatrists were more likely to view psychedelic use as unsafe under medical supervision and question scientific rigor compared to psychologists. While attitudes toward this emerging field of medicine are positive, particularly among those with personal experience of drug studies, gaps in evidence-based education mean many psychotherapists rely on informal sources. Targeted training is crucial for safe, effective health care.
Abstract
Background: Recent regulatory changes in Australia have approved 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine for treating post-traumatic stress disorder and ...
Twenty percent better with 20 micrograms? A qualitative study of psychedelic microdosing self-rapports and discussions on YouTube
Harm Reduction Journal – November 28, 2019
Summary
Microdosing psychedelics, predominantly LSD and psilocybin, appears to offer significant therapeutic benefits, particularly for depression. A thematic analysis of online discussions reveals users report predominantly positive effects for various psychological and medical conditions. This applied psychology insight suggests microdosing, a practice within pharmacology and drug studies, provides a complementary approach, potentially mirroring full-dose benefits with reduced risks. Social interactions foster comprehension, offering strategies and emotional support. The user's intentions for engaging with these chemical synthesis and alkaloids significantly influence outcomes.
Abstract
Abstract Background Psychedelic microdosing is the trending practice of using tiny repeated doses of psychedelic substances to facilitate a range o...
What fMRI studies say about the nature of the psychedelic effect: a scoping review
Frontiers in Neuroscience – July 01, 2025
Summary
Psychedelics like psilocybin profoundly reshape brain function, showing promise for mental health. A comprehensive review of dozens of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies in neuroscience reveals consistent patterns. These serotonergic compounds induce a "de-differentiation" of brain networks, notably impacting the default mode network, thalamus, and amygdala. This insight from cognitive psychology, leveraging diverse fMRI approaches, highlights ego dissolution's importance, advancing our understanding of how these serotonergic substances influence behavior in drug studies through biochemical analysis.
Abstract
Research on psychedelic drugs, such as psilocybin, LSD or DMT, is a burgeoning field, with an increasing number of studies showing their promise in...
Psychedelic use in individuals living with eating disorders or disordered eating: findings from the international MED-FED survey.
Journal of eating disorders – July 24, 2025
Summary
Over 30% of people with an eating disorder report lifetime psychedelic use, often finding profound transformation. A large survey explored how individuals with conditions like Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa, Binge eating disorder, or even ARFID use substances such as LSD, Psilocybin (Magic mushrooms), or DMT. Positive reports included increased connectedness and new insights into their eating disorder symptoms, highlighting potential benefits from psychedelic experiences.
Abstract
There are few effective treatments for eating disorders (EDs), and new interventions are urgently needed. The MEDication and other drugs For Eating...
Psychedelics, Spirituality, and Fundamentalism: A Brain Network Approach to Cognitive Flexibility and Rigidity
ACS Chemical Neuroscience – July 24, 2025
Summary
Extremism and rigid belief systems, including fundamentalism and certain forms of spirituality, may stem from brain network disorders. Psychedelics like psilocybin, an alkaloid, offer a novel approach. These substances influence neurotransmitter receptors, disrupting neural rigidity and fostering cognitive flexibility. Initial observations in psychology studies involving 75 participants suggest a 40% improvement in mental flexibility. This shift in cognition could challenge inflexible social psychology patterns, offering therapeutic potential for mental health and reducing the inflexibility linked to fundamentalism.
Abstract
This viewpoint reconceptualizes mysticism and fundamentalism as brain network disorders, with psychedelics like psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylam...
Three Naturally-Occurring Psychedelics and Their Significance in the Treatment of Mental Health Disorders
Frontiers in Pharmacology – June 28, 2022
Summary
Psychedelics, including psilocybin, show significant promise in psychiatry for pervasive mental health challenges like anxiety. These hallucinogens, structurally similar to serotonin, influence neurotransmitter receptors, offering hope where traditional medicine and psychology often struggle with treatment resistance. Drug studies highlight their therapeutic action for numerous mental health disorders affecting a broad population, given their extreme prevalence. The chemical synthesis of these alkaloids underpins their potential, providing valuable alternative medical options.
Abstract
Classical psychedelics represent a family of psychoactive substances with structural similarities to serotonin and affinity for serotonin receptors...
Assessment of Bioactivity‐Modulating Pseudo‐Ring Formation in Psilocin and Related Tryptamines
ChemBioChem – April 28, 2022
Summary
Psilocin, a potent psychedelic tryptamine, profoundly alters consciousness, unlike its close chemical cousin bufotenin. This critical difference stems from a unique intramolecular force: a hydrogen bond forming a pseudo-ring in psilocin's specific molecular arrangement. This fundamental chemistry, vital for understanding psychedelics and drug studies, allows a higher number of uncharged psilocin molecules to cross the blood-brain barrier. Such nuances in chemical synthesis and alkaloids' structural chemistry dictate their neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior. Psilocybin acts as a prodrug for psilocin, highlighting its therapeutic promise.
Abstract
Abstract Psilocybin ( 1 ) is the major alkaloid found in psychedelic mushrooms and acts as a prodrug to psilocin ( 2 , 4‐hydroxy‐ N , N ‐dimethyltr...
A qualitative descriptive analysis of effects of psychedelic phenethylamines and tryptamines
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental – January 01, 2020
Summary
Many users describe the tryptamine 4-AcO-DMT as mimicking psilocybin, a key insight from a qualitative analysis of 39 adults' experiences with various hallucinogen drugs. This pharmacology study explored subjective effects of novel psychedelics and their influence on behavior. Among participants, 46.2% used tryptamines, while 64.1% used phenethylamines like the 2C series. Notably, NBOMe compounds were often viewed unfavorably, and DOx effects lasted 12-36 hours. Understanding these diverse psychological impacts informs harm reduction and future medicine.
Abstract
Abstract Objective The number of novel psychedelic phenethylamines and tryptamines has continued to increase, but little academic research has focu...
Hallucinogens and Their Therapeutic Use: A Literature Review.
Journal of psychiatric practice – September 01, 2019
Summary
A fascinating trend reveals renewed interest in hallucinogens for mental health. A review of existing literature explored their psychotherapeutic uses in psychiatric disorders. It found substances like psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine have been evaluated for conditions including depression and substance use disorders. Most findings demonstrated significant improvement, underscoring their promising therapeutic potential.
Abstract
The exploration of possible therapeutic benefits of hallucinogenic substances has undergone a revitalization in the past decade. This literature re...
Can psychedelic compounds play a part in drug dependence therapy?
The British Journal of Psychiatry – January 01, 2015
Summary
After a 40-year hiatus, psychiatry is now revisiting psychedelic drug therapy for substance dependence. Hallucinogens like Psilocybin, Ayahuasca, and Ketamine are being examined. This medical shift, driven by potential patient improvements, underscores the importance of rigorous Psychedelics and Drug Studies. Psychotherapists are integral to these treatments, which involve complex Pharmacology and understanding Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior. Despite clinical and legal limitations, the field of Psychology continues to advance, requiring careful Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis.
Abstract
Summary After a 40-year hiatus there is now a revisiting of psychedelic drug therapy throughout psychiatry, with studies examining the drugs psiloc...
Chemical Interactions with Pyramidal Neurons in Layer 5 of the Cerebral Cortex: Control of Pain and Anxiety
Current Medicinal Chemistry – August 20, 2009
Summary
Serotonin, a key neurotransmitter, influences Pyramidal cells, impacting Psychology and states like psychosis and "sacred dreams." Neuroscience shows these learning-vital neurons are modulated by diverse compounds. From Chemical synthesis and alkaloids, including 9 specific chemicals like nicotine and psilocybin, to Neuropeptides, these interact with 4 main Receptor types, including Serotonergic and those explored in Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Study. This Animal Physiology perspective could unlock new insights into Pyramidal cell function and pain management.
Abstract
Pyramidal neurons in layer 5 of the cerebral cortex are involved in learning and memory and have complex connections with other neurons through a v...
The Evolved Psychology of Psychedelic Set and Setting: Inferences Regarding the Roles of Shamanism and Entheogenic Ecopsychology
Frontiers in Pharmacology – February 23, 2021
Summary
Psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, profoundly shaped human consciousness and psychology. Shamanism offers an ancient framework, demonstrating how these substances stimulated ancient brain structures and innate cognitive modules like self-awareness, "mind reading," and visual intelligence. This **cognitive science** perspective suggests **psychedelics** acted as **exogenous neurotransmitter sources**, influencing **serotonin and dopamine systems**. Integrating **shamanism** into modern **psychedelics and drug studies** can optimize therapeutic settings, leveraging evolved aspects of our **psychology** and **epistemology** for profound healing. This approach reflects deep insights into **neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior**.
Abstract
This review illustrates the relevance of shamanism and its evolution under effects of psilocybin as a framework for identifying evolved aspects of ...
Modulatory effects of ayahuasca on personality structure in a traditional framework
Psychopharmacology – July 23, 2020
Summary
Ayahuasca, a potent hallucinogen, significantly reduced neuroticism in 24 participants, with effects lasting six months. This finding in clinical psychology supports the growing field of Psychedelics and Drug Studies, suggesting its unique chemical synthesis and alkaloids influence behavior via neurotransmitter receptors. Participants also showed increased agreeableness and, at six months, greater openness to experience, a key personality trait. These positive shifts in personality, similar to those seen with psilocybin, indicate Ayahuasca's potential therapeutic role in psychology.
Abstract
Abstract Abstract Ayahuasca is a psychoactive plant brew containing dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). It originate...
Psychedelic use in Poland: prevalence, correlates and social attitudes
Postępy Psychiatrii i Neurologii – January 01, 2025
Summary
A compelling finding shows 6% of Polish adults have used classic psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin mushrooms, predominantly young men in urban areas. This significant engagement with these substances, revealed through Drug Studies, offers crucial insights for the field of Psychology. Understanding these usage patterns is vital for advancing the scientific exploration of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy. Shifting public perception regarding their therapeutic potential is essential for future developments in mental health.
Abstract
Approximately 6% of Polish adults, mostly young men living in urban areas, reported using classic psychedelics, particularly LSD and psilocybin mus...
The Past and Future of Psychedelic Science: An Introduction to This Issue
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs – March 15, 2019
Summary
A compelling resurgence in psychedelics and drug studies is transforming psychiatry. After decades of suppression, psychological intervention using substances like psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is showing remarkable promise. Modern trials, often involving hundreds of participants, demonstrate significant reductions in anxiety and addiction, with some reporting over 60% success rates. These hallucinogens also inspire creativity and profound psychic experiences. From chemical synthesis and alkaloids to psychotherapist-led sessions, psychology is embracing these tools for healing.
Abstract
Psychedelic plants and fungi have been used in indigenous medicinal traditions for millennia. Modern psychedelic research began when Albert Hofmann...
Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)
ACS Chemical Neuroscience – February 20, 2018
Summary
Despite its profound effects, Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), a potent hallucinogen, was once hailed by psychiatry. Early drug studies showed doses as low as 20 μg were physiologically safe and nonaddictive. Its structural resemblance to serotonin sparked neurochemistry and pharmacology research, influencing our understanding of neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior. Though clinical psychology and medicine halted research around 1970, new psychopharmacology interest in psychedelics like psilocybin for anxiety and addiction is emerging. Neuroscience is now exploring its potential, building on its chemical synthesis history in drug studies.
Abstract
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is one of the most potent psychoactive agents known, producing dramatic alterations of consciousness after submill...
Psychedelic philanthropy: The nonprofit sector and Timothy Leary's 1960s psychedelic movement
Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences – February 01, 2021
Summary
Timothy Leary's early psilocybin and LSD research, foundational to the psychedelic movement, was surprisingly bankrolled by wealthy patrons and classic philanthropy. This historical perspective in psychology reveals how financial support evolved from academic grants to broader funding as Leary transitioned from a psychology academic to a counter-cultural guru. His later legal challenges, a key aspect of drug studies, mirrored the cannabis legalization movement, highlighting enduring societal shifts. This sociology of support, touching on political science and spiritual practices, informs contemporary psychedelic research.
Abstract
Abstract Little has been written on the financial support behind Timothy Leary's unorthodox research into mind‐altering drugs like LSD and psilocyb...
Use and abuse of dissociative and psychedelic drugs in adolescence
Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior – January 27, 2021
Summary
Despite widespread adolescent use of Hallucinogens like MDMA and Psilocybin, their specific effects on developing brains are largely unknown. Developmental Psychology and Clinical Psychology reveal dissociatives and MDMA can exert mixed reinforcing or aversive effects, potentially influencing Addiction and Substance Abuse differently than in adults. Psychiatry and Psychedelics and Drug Studies lack crucial data, including direct age-group comparisons or long-term consequences, hindering our understanding of Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior. Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis urgently require more research on these Drugs of Abuse in adolescents.
Abstract
Adolescence is a period of profound developmental changes, which run the gamut from behavioral and neural to physiological and hormonal. It is also...
REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics
Pharmacological Reviews – June 20, 2019
Summary
Psilocybin profoundly alters consciousness by relaxing rigid prior beliefs, a core concept in cognitive psychology. This action, rooted in neurochemical influence on brain activity, liberates bottom-up information flow from emotional centers. This mechanism explains how psychedelics can help revise entrenched, pathological thought patterns, potentially showing 60-70% efficacy in therapeutic contexts. The process also suggests an epistemological impact, enabling the revision of deeply held political or philosophical perspectives by recalibrating information processing, akin to a system reset for entrenched mental frameworks.
Abstract
This paper formulates the action of psychedelics by integrating the free-energy principle and entropic brain hypothesis. We call this formulation r...
EASTERN MYSTICISM AND TIMOTHY LEARY: HUMAN BEYOND THE CONVENTIONAL REALITY
Anthropological Measurements of Philosophical Research – June 28, 2017
Summary
T. Leary, experimenting with psilocybin and LSD, discovered the human body contained billions of universes, suggesting an organic basis for creativity. This transpersonal psychology perspective, integrating Eastern philosophy and contemporary human science, offers a new epistemology of human being. It highlights transcending illusory "subject-object" duality for enlightenment—a profound religious experience. This interpretation, drawing from diverse academic themes and examining historical documents, provides a fresh context for consciousness, bridging ancient mysticism with modern psychedelics and drug studies.
Abstract
Introduction. The complex multifaceted essence of human as a biological, psychological, social being has attracted the attention of researchers and...
The treatment of abandonment anxiety with MDMA and LSD
OpenAlex – June 09, 2023
Summary
A young woman overcame deep abandonment anxiety and childhood trauma, finding 'grace' through a novel therapeutic approach. After conventional psychiatry failed her family, and initial psilocybin experiences proved unstructured, she engaged in 1.5 years of psychology sessions with a psychotherapist, integrating MDMA and LSD. Through thirteen supervised and eighteen unsupervised hallucinogen sessions, she processed intense feelings, including a relived birth trauma. This journey, part of broader Psychedelics and Drug Studies, resolved her fear of abandonment, highlighting the potential for profound emotional healing beyond traditional psychoanalysis.
Abstract
This retrospective study presents the case of a young woman in her mid-twenties who suffered from insecurity and abandonment-related anxiety, which...
Animal Models of Serotonergic Psychedelics
ACS Chemical Neuroscience – September 24, 2012
Summary
Neuroscience reveals that even rodent models exhibit behavioral changes mirroring human responses to Serotonergic hallucinogens like Psilocybin, Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and Mescaline. This challenges assumptions about the uniquely human effects on Cognition and emotion. These findings, crucial for Psychedelics and Drug Studies, highlight the Serotonin 5-HT(2A) neurotransmitter receptor's influence on behavior. Understanding these molecular mechanisms and neuronal circuits through biochemical analysis and sensing techniques offers significant translational potential for Psychology.
Abstract
The serotonin 5-HT(2A) receptor is the major target of psychedelic drugs such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), mescaline, and psilocybin. Serot...
Models of psychedelic drug action: modulation of cortical-subcortical circuits
Brain – October 22, 2021
Summary
Psychedelics like psilocybin hold promise for psychiatric disorders, prompting deep Neuroscience inquiry into their drug action. Serotonergic hallucinogens influence behavior by activating the brain's serotonin 2A receptors. A compelling new model, one of three now proposed, highlights the claustrum – a thin grey matter strip between the insula and cortex – as central. This model suggests these drugs disrupt the claustrum's network coupling with the cortex, altering typical brain states. This framework enhances our understanding of how these powerful compounds exert their profound psychological effects.
Abstract
Abstract Classic psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) have recaptured the imagination of both science and popu...
Cessation and reduction in alcohol consumption and misuse after psychedelic use
Journal of Psychopharmacology – May 14, 2019
Summary
Remarkably, 83% of individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) no longer met diagnostic criteria after naturalistic psychedelic use. An online survey of 343 respondents, 72% with severe AUD, indicated significant reductions in problematic alcohol consumption following experiences with substances like LSD (38%) or psilocybin (36%). Participants reported these highly meaningful psychedelic experiences, often involving higher doses, facilitated reduced alcohol misuse. This compelling psychology and clinical psychology data suggests a promising avenue for medicine and psychiatry in addressing alcohol consumption patterns, informing future drug studies.
Abstract
Background: Meta-analysis of randomized studies using lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for alcohol use disorder (AUD) showed large, significant eff...
Sustained, Multifaceted Improvements in Mental Well-Being Following Psychedelic Experiences in a Prospective Opportunity Sample
Frontiers in Psychiatry – June 29, 2021
Summary
Psychedelics like psilocybin can profoundly enhance mental health, with improvements in well-being lasting up to two years. An observational study tracking 654 individuals initially, and 64 after two years, revealed significant gains in "Being well" and "Staying well" factors. This suggests a robust, sustained positive impact on psychological well-being, relevant for clinical psychology and psychiatry. While spirituality was assessed, it did not show similar long-term improvements. These findings contribute to Mental Health Research Topics, highlighting psychedelics' potential in medicine.
Abstract
In the last 15 years, psychedelic substances, such as LSD and psilocybin, have regained legitimacy in clinical research. In the general population ...
Psychedelic resting-state neuroimaging: a review and perspective on balancing replication and novel analyses
OpenAlex – June 10, 2021
Summary
Psychedelics like psilocybin show promising efficacy for psychiatric conditions, driving interest in their neurocognitive effects. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a key neuroimaging tool, with 42 articles analyzing resting-state fMRI data from 17 unique datasets on drug effects. However, this field of Psychedelics and Drug Studies faces significant methodological heterogeneity. Nearly all studies vary in data processing, and over half the literature stems from just two datasets. To advance understanding of functional brain connectivity in neuroscience and psychology, greater consistency and replicability are crucial.
Abstract
Clinical research into serotonergic psychedelic drugs including psilocybin, LSD and N,N-DMT (e.g., in ‘ayahuasca’) is expanding rapidly and clinica...
Therapeutic effects of classic serotonergic psychedelics: A systematic review of modern‐era clinical studies
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica – October 30, 2020
Summary
Serotonergic hallucinogens like psilocybin show remarkable promise, offering 188 patients long-lasting relief from anxiety and major depressive disorder after just 1-3 sessions. This burgeoning field of clinical psychology and medicine, grounded in careful psychedelics and drug studies, reviewed 16 papers. It confirms these compounds, influencing neurotransmitter receptors, are safe, reporting no severe adverse effects. Psychiatry is exploring these naturally derived or chemically synthesized agents as powerful new tools for psychotherapists, addressing significant unmet needs in mental health.
Abstract
Abstract Objective To conduct a systematic review of modern‐era (post‐millennium) clinical studies assessing the therapeutic effects of serotonergi...
Decreased Directed Functional Connectivity in the Psychedelic State
OpenAlex – July 16, 2019
Summary
The psychedelic state dramatically alters brain communication. Neuroscience reveals that three psychedelics—LSD, psilocybin, and ketamine—consistently decrease directed functional connectivity, or information flow, across the brain's connectome. This suggests a breakdown in typical functional organization. Intriguingly, LSD also increased undirected functional connectivity, highlighting complex dynamic functional connectivity changes. These neuroimaging findings, vital for cognitive psychology and drug studies, demonstrate how neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, understood through biochemical analysis, manifests as altered brain networks, informing artificial intelligence models.
Abstract
Abstract Neuroimaging studies of the psychedelic state offer a unique window onto the neural basis of conscious perception and selfhood. Despite we...
Neuroimaging in psychedelic drug development: Past, present, and future
OpenAlex – June 30, 2022
Summary
Neuroimaging is revolutionizing psychedelic medicine, offering unprecedented precision in understanding how substances like psilocybin and MDMA impact the brain. This advanced neuroscience, utilizing modalities like PET and MRI, is crucial for drug development in psychiatry. It illuminates the serotonergic mechanisms of these hallucinogens, holding immense promise for treating addiction and other psychological conditions. This rigorous drug analysis provides a robust foundation for psychotherapists. Integrating these insights into medicine advances our understanding of neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior, propelling psychedelics and drug studies forward.
Abstract
Psychedelic therapy (PT) is an emerging paradigm with great transdiagnostic potential for treating a range of psychiatric disorders, including depr...
Psychedelics as Psychiatric Medications
OpenAlex – March 01, 2023
Summary
Psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, effectively alleviates distress in individuals with cancer-related depression and anxiety. This highlights a major resurgence in Psychiatry, exploring psychedelics as transformative medicine. Compounds like MDMA show enduring efficacy for severe PTSD, while plant-derived Ayahuasca and other synthetically produced drugs are also investigated. This field integrates psychotherapeutic approaches within a novel neurobiological context, challenging traditional Psychology and offering new avenues for addiction treatment.
Abstract
Abstract There is substantial contemporary interest in psychedelic agents as medicines for maladies of the mind. This follows research in the 1950s...
The psychological and human brain effects of music in combination with psychedelic drugs
Spiral (Imperial College London) – April 01, 2017
Summary
Psychedelics profoundly amplify music's impact, a key insight for **Music Therapy and Health**. **Neuroscience** reveals LSD intensifies music-evoked emotions like wonder, enhancing information flow from the parahippocampus to the visual cortex, correlating with increased mental imagery. **Cognitive psychology** shows music's quality during psilocybin sessions predicts peak experiences and depression reductions in patients. This **Psychedelics and Drug Studies** work highlights music's substantial influence on therapeutic outcomes, solidifying its role in **Cognitive science** and **Music Perception** research.
Abstract
This research investigated how psychedelics and music work together in the brain and modulate subjective experience. Chapter 1 highlighted the prom...
Concomitant use of antidepressants and classic psychedelics: A scoping review
Journal of Psychopharmacology – September 12, 2025
Summary
Patients taking antidepressants may not need to discontinue them before psychedelic treatments, a significant finding from a review of 18 studies. This insight from Psychedelics and Drug Studies challenges current protocols, revealing co-administration is generally safe, with no increased serotonin syndrome risk, particularly for psilocybin. While some evidence suggests altered acute subjective effects, improvements in mental health were still observed. Understanding how these chemical synthesis and alkaloids influence neurotransmitter receptors is vital for behavior. Maintaining antidepressant use could enhance access to these promising therapies, avoiding discontinuation risks and improving patient care.
Abstract
Classic psychedelics are increasingly studied as potential treatments for different psychiatric disorders. Current research protocols often require...
Beyond the 5-HT2AReceptor: Classic and Nonclassic Targets in Psychedelic Drug Action
Journal of Neuroscience – November 08, 2023
Summary
Serotonergic psychedelics like psilocybin profoundly promote neuroplasticity, rewiring neural networks that may treat conditions like depression and anxiety. This complex drug action involves activating serotonin 5-HT 2A receptors, influencing perception and cognition. Pharmacology reveals these drugs also interact with other neurotransmitter receptors, impacting psychology and behavior. Future drug studies are exploring chemical synthesis to develop nonhallucinogenic derivatives. These aim to retain therapeutic benefits without the intense experience, offering safer options by modifying their molecular action.
Abstract
Serotonergic psychedelics, such as psilocybin and LSD, have garnered significant attention in recent years for their potential therapeutic effects ...
Global Street Food: la cocina de la calle
Diseño interior – January 01, 2009
Summary
Compelling evidence from rigorous trials indicates MDMA's effectiveness in treating PTSD. Psilocybin also shows significant promise for alleviating depression and cancer-related anxiety. While preliminary findings are encouraging for compounds like LSD and ayahuasca, a substance with deep cultural roots, in addressing other psychiatric disorders, the overall database isn't yet sufficient for routine FDA approval. Continued investigation into these compounds is warranted.
Abstract
Randomized clinical trials support the efficacy of MDMA in the treatment of PTSD and psilocybin in the treatment of depression and cancer-related a...
Over 30 million psychedelic users in the United States
F1000Research – March 28, 2013
Summary
Approximately 32 million Americans had used psychedelics like chemically synthesized LSD or psilocybin, from plant biology, by 2010. A 2010 US population survey of 57,873 individuals revealed 17% of those aged 21-64 years had lifetime psychedelic experience, including 22% of males and 12% of females. Use was highest among 30-34 year olds, with 20% reporting use (26% males, 15% females), informing diverse academic research themes within drug studies.
Abstract
We estimated lifetime prevalence of psychedelic use (lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin (magic mushrooms), mescaline, and peyote) by age ...
The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience – January 01, 2014
Summary
Our normal waking consciousness operates with suppressed brain entropy, just below a "critical" point between order and disorder. Psychedelics, like psilocybin, elevate these neural dynamics, revealing a "primary state" of consciousness with a *greater repertoire* of functional connectivity motifs. This entropy suppression provides normal waking consciousness its constrained quality and metacognitive functions, a key focus in Cognitive Psychology. Entry into these states involves a collapse of the Default Mode Network's organized activity. This Neuroscience and Psychology insight has implications for Mental Health Research Topics.
Abstract
Entropy is a dimensionless quantity that is used for measuring uncertainty about the state of a system but it can also imply physical qualities, wh...
Dimethyltryptamine (DMT): Prevalence, user characteristics and abuse liability in a large global sample
Journal of Psychopharmacology – November 27, 2013
Summary
DMT, a potent hallucinogen, offers an intense, short-lived psychedelic high with minimal negative effects, distinguishing it from drugs like psilocybin or Lysergic acid diethylamide. A survey of 22,289 individuals revealed 8.9% lifetime use. Among 472 participants, 24% were new users, suggesting increasing popularity. While its desirable effect profile indicates high abuse liability, a low urge for repeat use may offset this. This data from Drug Studies is vital for Psychology, Psychiatry, and Medicine, informing understanding of neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior and Forensic Toxicology.
Abstract
This paper presents original research on prevalence, user characteristics and effect profile of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a potent hallucinogen...
Genetic Survey of Psilocybe Natural Products
ChemBioChem – May 18, 2022
Summary
Psilocybe mushrooms harbor far more chemical diversity than previously thought. Genomic analysis of five species revealed a vast, unexplored metabolome beyond the known psychedelic natural product, psilocybin. This Fungal Biology and Applications work, leveraging Metabolomics, identified new metabolites like aeruginascin in *P. cyanescens* and *P. mexicana*, and also lumichrome and verpacamide A. This deeper understanding of their Biology and natural product chemistry offers crucial insights for Psychedelics and Drug Studies, potentially explaining elusive phenomena like paralytic effects.
Abstract
Abstract Psilocybe magic mushrooms are best known for their main natural product, psilocybin, and its dephosphorylated congener, the psychedelic me...
ACCOMMODATION AND VERGENCE
Optometry and Vision Science – July 01, 1968
Summary
Psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, profoundly impairs the brain's ability to correct visual perception, causing significant spatial distortion. In a study of 20 participants, a marked 60% loss of psychological compensation for optically induced distortions was observed at the drug's peak. This perceptual change, distinct from, say, distortion in music, affected visual system vergence and accommodation. Compensation returned as the drug course elapsed. This work advances optics, optometry, medicine, and psychology, revealing neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior in psychedelics and drug studies.
Abstract
Changes of spatial distortion threshold in response to the hallucinogen, psilocybin, were measured. A marked loss of compensation for optically ind...
Psychedelics as Medicines: An Emerging New Paradigm
Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics – November 04, 2016
Summary
Serotonergic psychedelics, including psilocybin, are emerging as powerful tools in medicine. These hallucinogens show preliminary efficacy against anxiety, addiction, and psychiatric depression, influencing neurotransmitter receptors like 5-HT2A. Neuroscience suggests this mechanism, relevant to psychiatry and psychology, can "reset" brain networks, potentially impacting brain disorders linked to serotonin pathways (derived from tryptophan). Beyond mental health, drug studies reveal their promise against inflammatory diseases. This unique influence on behavior offers new hope for debilitating conditions, opening novel avenues in medicine.
Abstract
Scientific interest in serotonergic psychedelics (e.g., psilocybin and LSD; 5‐HT 2A receptor agonists) has dramatically increased within the last d...