Psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic, enhanced fear extinction and improved extinction recall 24 hours later in male mice, regardless of whether they were stress-naïve or had been exposed to acute or chronic stress beforehand. Psilocybin transiently increased the stress hormone corticosterone in stress-naïve mice but not in previously stressed animals. The findings suggest psilocybin can promote fear extinction across different stress backgrounds, supporting its potential therapeutic relevance for disorders like PTSD where prior stress is a key factor.
Pharmacists perceive treatment costs and legal barriers as significantly greater obstacles for psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) than for current major depressive disorder treatments, while ethical barriers are seen as similar. Pharmacists express significantly greater support for prescription use of psychedelics over self-medication for depression in scenarios including post-suicide attempt, suicide prophylaxis, and after failing two or more antidepressants, as well as in elderly, incarcerated, active-duty military, and veteran populations. Overall, pharmacists view PAT as a helpful addition to existing depression treatments.