Ther Adv Psychopharmacol
August 14, 2020
Jacob S. Aday, Christopher C. Davoli, Emily K. Bloesch
50 citations
Psychedelic drugs and virtual reality (VR) both disrupt the rigidity of typical conscious experience. They alter sensory experience and evoke awe, and each is used alongside traditional therapies to treat mood disorders by transiently shifting perspective and disrupting rigid mental patterns. Recreational users already combine psychedelics and VR to enhance their experience. The authors propose VR could prepare hallucinogen-naïve clinical trial participants for the sensory distortions of psychedelic states and optimize the environment in psychedelic sessions. The article outlines connections between psychedelics and VR, reflecting growing scientific interest in technology, psychopharmacology, and mental health.
Ther Adv Psychopharmacol
December 4, 2025
Charles Dodds, Rachelle Dawson, Alexander Lim et al.
3 citations
Psychedelic compounds such as ketamine, MDMA, and psilocybin show promise for treating post-traumatic stress disorder by modulating synaptic plasticity and enhancing memory processing and extinction. These interventions may overcome limitations of conventional therapies and, when combined with existing psychotherapies, produce rapid and lasting improvement in chronic symptoms. The review discusses how modern methods for predicting treatment response could enable personalized precision medicine approaches, using quantitative evidence to tailor psychedelic interventions to individual patients.
Ther Adv Psychopharmacol
October 16, 2025
Stanley Wong, Brett D. M. Jones, Mathura T. Thiyagarajah et al.
3 citations
A review of nine small clinical trials found that ayahuasca and psilocybin, when used to treat major depressive disorder and treatment-resistant depression, are associated with changes in several biological markers. These include increased serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor, decreased serum C-reactive protein, altered amygdala activation, and changes in functional connectivity between brain regions such as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and posterior cingulate cortex. These associations suggest potential mechanisms of clinical response, but larger, longer-term studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Ther Adv Psychopharmacol
June 29, 2026
Damian Swieczkowski, Aleksander Kwaśny, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała
Informed consent forms for ketamine clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov are often written at a reading level that exceeds the average adult's ability, potentially limiting participants' understanding of risks and benefits. The analysis found that most forms required a college-level reading proficiency, which is higher than recommended for patient materials. This gap in readability may compromise informed consent in mental health research.
Ther Adv Psychopharmacol
May 22, 2026
Liliana Patarroyo-Rodriguez, Vanessa K. Pazdernik, Jennifer L. Vande Voort et al.
Among people with treatment-resistant depression, early changes in suicidal ideation after ketamine or esketamine treatment are linked to later emergency department visits for suicidality. The analysis indicates that reductions in suicidal thoughts during the first few weeks of treatment may lower the risk of subsequent emergency care for suicidality, though the relationship requires further study.
Ther Adv Psychopharmacol
May 19, 2026
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Ther Adv Psychopharmacol
December 11, 2025
Casimiro Cabrera Abreu, Aleksandar Biorac, Ross J. Baldessarini et al.
Ketamine, originally developed as a dissociative anesthetic and a tool for modeling psychosis, has been repositioned as a rapidly acting antidepressant for treatment-resistant depression. This narrative review traces its trajectory over six decades, drawing on historical sources, clinical trials, and regulatory documents. By the early 2000s, trials showed rapid and robust antidepressant effects, challenging older monoamine-based theories and spurring new models involving glutamate and neuroplasticity. Its dissociative effects, once seen as drawbacks, are now debated but evidence suggests they are not necessary for efficacy.
Ther Adv Psychopharmacol
December 4, 2025
Carina Joy Donegan, Dimitri Daldegan-Bueno, Rachael L. Sumner et al.
People with depression who microdosed LSD described their experiences in interviews from an open-label trial. The analysis identified themes such as improved mood, increased energy, and greater emotional openness, though some participants also reported anxiety or discomfort. The findings suggest that microdosing may offer benefits for some individuals, but the open-label design means results should be interpreted cautiously.
Ther Adv Psychopharmacol
August 1, 2014
This review examines the pharmacodynamics of classical hallucinogens and their potential clinical roles as antidepressants. It discusses how these compounds interact with serotonin receptors, particularly the 5-HT2A receptor, to produce their effects and explores the therapeutic promise they hold for treating depression. The authors synthesize evidence from preclinical and early clinical studies, noting that hallucinogens may promote neural plasticity and modulate mood-related circuits. They conclude that while preliminary findings are encouraging, more rigorous clinical trials are needed to establish safety and efficacy before these substances can be integrated into standard psychiatric practice.