Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews
July 1, 2026
Marcus J Glennon, Catherine I V Bird, Prateek Yadav et al.
2 citations
Setting up a psychedelic research study involves a long, arduous, and Kafkaesque process with many unstandardised challenges. These complexities challenge existing assumptions about psychiatric prescribing, the placebo effect, and definitions of selfhood. This review brings together major UK psychedelic research teams to formalise these unique considerations, addressing sociocultural, political, legal, pharmacological, safety, study design, and experiential facets. It identifies continuing areas of debate and provides a practical, experience-based guide with recommendations for policymakers and future researchers intending to set up a psychedelic study or clinical trial.
The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology
July 23, 2021
Sunjeev K Kamboj, Hannah Zhao, Luzia Troebinger et al.
Nitrous oxide (N2O), an anesthetic gas that blocks NMDA receptors, produces subjective rewarding effects similar to those of moderate-dose ketamine. Healthy volunteers randomly assigned to inhale 50% N2O reported liking and wanting effects comparable in size to those seen with ketamine. Impulsivity increased how much participants liked N2O, while depressive symptoms decreased how much they wanted more. These opposite directional influences suggest impulsivity may predispose and depression may protect against N2O abuse. N2O may serve as a safe substitute for ketamine in studying reward-related NMDA receptor function in humans.
The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology
April 1, 2017
Katie Walsh, Ravi K Das, Sunjeev K Kamboj
Heavy drinkers with a family history of alcohol-use disorders show a distinct subjective response to nitrous oxide (N2O) inhalation compared to those without such familial risk. During 50% N2O inhalation, the 23 participants with an ostensible family history reported a higher ratio of stimulant to sedative effects than the 37 without that risk. This pattern closely resembles that previously observed with ketamine, suggesting a common mechanism involving N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). N2O may offer a safer, more accessible alternative to ketamine for studying heritable NMDAR dysregulation in neuropsychiatric disorders.