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Acta Crystallographica. Section C,... Feb 2022In a detailed powder diffraction study of the structural forms of psilocybin, Sherwood [ C, 36–55] cast doubt that any other anhydrous polymorphs could exist.
In a detailed powder diffraction study of the structural forms of psilocybin, Sherwood [ C, 36–55] cast doubt that any other anhydrous polymorphs could exist.
Topics: Crystallography, X-Ray; Hallucinations; Humans; Hydrogen Bonding
PubMed: 35119383
DOI: 10.1107/S2053229622000511 -
Neuropharmacology Apr 2023The substantial challenges facing high and low dose psychedelic drug development to achieve regulatory approval have been documented in the scientific literature. These... (Review)
Review
The substantial challenges facing high and low dose psychedelic drug development to achieve regulatory approval have been documented in the scientific literature. These limitations have not deterred drug developers and social media from repeatedly misleading patients, the public and health professionals. Developing "micro doses" of psychedelics overcomes many of the scientific and regulatory challenges of high dose psychedelics. If micro-dosing could be shown to be efficacious and safe for long term use, it could be administered in the typical model for treatment of mental disorders. Such a model would be more cost effective than the high dose/intense psychotherapy model currently described and could be readily available to all individuals who need another medication option. Outpatient psychotherapeutic agents have a clear route for approval and would be unlikely to be burdened by the extensive Risks Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy needed for high dose use. There may be a different therapeutic role for both high and low dose psychedelic agents. This article is part of the Special Issue on "National Institutes of Health Psilocybin Research Speaker Series".
Topics: Humans; Hallucinogens; Lysergic Acid Diethylamide; Social Media; Psilocybin; Mental Disorders
PubMed: 36693562
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109426 -
Current Geriatrics Reports 2023This review article summarizes clinically and socially relevant developments over the past five years in the therapeutic use of the classical tryptamine psychedelic... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
This review article summarizes clinically and socially relevant developments over the past five years in the therapeutic use of the classical tryptamine psychedelic substance psilocybin, with respect to the common challenges faced by palliative care patients and their care teams. Psilocybin is available in whole fungal and isolated forms but is not yet approved for therapeutic use in the United States. Using targeted database and gray literature searches, and author recall, key sources were identified, reviewed, and synthesized as to the safety and efficacy of psilocybin in palliative care.
RECENT FINDINGS
Life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses and faced by palliative care patients are comorbid with emotional and spiritual distress. Research and field reports reviewed suggest that psilocybin has significant and in some cases, sustained anxiolytic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory and entheogenic effects with a favorable safety profile. Limitations of the research include the risk for selection bias toward healthy, white, financially privileged individuals, and in general, follow-up timelines too short to appropriately evaluate durability of outcomes in psychospiritual benefits and quality of life.
SUMMARY
While more research is needed for palliative care populations specifically, reasonable inferences can be made regarding the potential for benefit to palliative care patients from psilocybin's demonstrated anxiolytic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory and entheogenic effects. However, major legal, ethical and financial barriers to access exist for the general population; obstacles which are likely worsened for geriatric and palliative care patients. Empiric treatment and large-scale controlled trials of psilocybin should be conducted to further investigate the findings of the smaller studies reviewed here across a variety of populations, for a greater understanding of therapeutic benefit and clinically relevant safety criteria, and to support thoughtful legalization and medical access.
PubMed: 37305379
DOI: 10.1007/s13670-023-00383-7 -
Lakartidningen Apr 2024In the last 20 years there has been an increased interest in research on psychedelic compounds for treatment of psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety and... (Review)
Review
In the last 20 years there has been an increased interest in research on psychedelic compounds for treatment of psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety and substance use disorders. Despite existing treatments being efficacious for many patients, this is not the case for up to a third of the patients with depression. Additionally, treatments are often long and associated with side effects. This review focuses on the psychedelic compound psilocybin, a serotonin-2A-receptor agonist that has been seen to reduce depression and anxiety in patients after administration of only a single dose, with effects lasting several weeks. Recent findings from phase II studies suggest that psilocybin treatment for depression is safe and efficacious. A phase III study is currently recruiting. Whether psychedelics will become a part of standard healthcare remains to be seen, but findings do give rise to cautious optimism.
Topics: Humans; Hallucinogens; Psilocybin; Anxiety Disorders; Psychiatry
PubMed: 38572715
DOI: No ID Found -
Current Psychiatry Reports Oct 2022Few treatments are available for patients with mood disorders or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who have already failed multiple interventions. After several... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Few treatments are available for patients with mood disorders or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who have already failed multiple interventions. After several decades when research into psychedelics was effectively halted by federal legislation, the past several years have shown the re-emergence of thoughtful investigations studying the utility of compounds such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and psilocybin.
RECENT FINDINGS
Several studies have coupled the safe administration of psychedelic compounds in a controlled environment after several hours of preparation of study participants and followed by multiple sessions to integrate the psychedelic experience. The improvement participants experience appear related to the often profound perspective changes experienced and seem unlike the improvements seen in the currently available care paradigms. Studies cited include treatment resistant depression, end of life despair, and PTSD. Psychedelic psychotherapy, a unique remarriage of biological therapy and psychotherapy, has the potential to transform mental health care.
Topics: Hallucinogens; Humans; N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; Psilocybin; Psychotherapy; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
PubMed: 36129571
DOI: 10.1007/s11920-022-01363-y -
Journal of Psychopharmacology (Oxford,... Jul 2023Research on psilocybin has become increasingly popular during the current psychedelic renaissance, which began in the early 1990s. Psilocybin's effects on mental health... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Research on psilocybin has become increasingly popular during the current psychedelic renaissance, which began in the early 1990s. Psilocybin's effects on mental health are promising and there are ongoing efforts to investigate its clinical implementation and its effects on cognition.
AIMS
The purpose of this study is to report trends in publications, methods, and findings from research examining the effects of psilocybin on cognition and creativity in adults.
METHODS
We conducted an Open Science Framework preregistered scoping review, guided by the JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis, on literature pertaining to psilocybin's effects on cognition and creativity.
RESULTS/OUTCOMES
In the 42 included studies, psilocybin was primarily administered orally (83%) in a bodyweight-adjusted manner (74%) to healthy participants (90%). Of the few studies that explicitly reported safety outcomes (26%), only one reported serious adverse reactions. During the acute phase post-intake (i.e., minutes to hours), macrodoses tended to impair cognitive performance and creativity, whereas microdoses tended toward creative enhancement. The few macrodosing studies that included post-acute measures (i.e., 1-85 days) reported primarily null but some positive effects.
CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION
This scoping review identified a time-based variation of psilocybin macrodosing effects on cognition and creativity, in which impairment may be observed early post-intake but withdraw over time, and some positive effects may emerge afterward. These findings are limited by methodological concerns and inadequate assessment of long-term effects. We therefore recommend that future psilocybin research be conducted according to existing guidelines and include well-validated measures of cognition and creativity at multiple timepoints.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Psilocybin; Hallucinogens; Cognition; Creativity; Mental Health
PubMed: 37395359
DOI: 10.1177/02698811231179801 -
Neuropharmacology Mar 2023After decades of prohibition, psychedelics are generating intense public and private interest. Scientists are researching the therapeutic properties of these substances,... (Review)
Review
After decades of prohibition, psychedelics are generating intense public and private interest. Scientists are researching the therapeutic properties of these substances, and mounting evidence supports their ability to treat a variety of mental health conditions. Meanwhile, dozens of cities and states are proposing or enacting psychedelics legislation to promote research, increase therapeutic and non-therapeutic access, and decrease criminal penalties associated with producing, possessing, or consuming psychedelics. This article is the first to produce a typology of state and local psychedelic laws, which fall into five general categories: decriminalization, supported adult use, medical use, clinical research, and policy analysis. The article defines each category and explains how some jurisdictions create hybrid psychedelic laws that blend elements of multiple categories. Following enactment, government agencies can shift laws from one category to another during the rulemaking process. This article is part of the Special Issue on "National Institutes of Health Psilocybin Research Speaker Series".
Topics: Adult; Humans; Hallucinogens; Psilocybin; Mental Disorders
PubMed: 36565855
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109399 -
Journal of Psychopharmacology (Oxford,... Jan 2022Healthful behaviours such as maintaining a balanced diet, being physically active and refraining from smoking have major impacts on the risk of developing cancer,... (Review)
Review
Healthful behaviours such as maintaining a balanced diet, being physically active and refraining from smoking have major impacts on the risk of developing cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and other serious conditions. The burden of the so-called 'lifestyle diseases'-in personal suffering, premature mortality and public health costs-is considerable. Consequently, interventions designed to promote healthy behaviours are increasingly being studied, e.g., using psychobiological models of behavioural regulation and change. In this article, we explore the notion that psychedelic substances such as psilocybin could be used to assist in promoting positive lifestyle change conducive to good overall health. Psilocybin has a low toxicity, is non-addictive and has been shown to predict favourable changes in patients with depression, anxiety and other conditions marked by rigid behavioural patterns, including substance (mis)use. While it is still early days for modern psychedelic science, research is advancing fast and results are promising. Here we describe psychedelics' proposed mechanisms of action and research findings pertinent to health behaviour change science, hoping to generate discussion and new research hypotheses linking the two areas. Therapeutic models including psychedelic experiences and common behaviour change methods (e.g., Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Motivational Interviewing) are already being tested for addiction and eating disorders. We believe this research may soon be extended to help promote improved diet, exercise, nature exposure and also mindfulness or stress reduction practices, all of which can contribute to physical and psychological health and well-being.
Topics: Hallucinogens; Health Behavior; Healthy Lifestyle; Humans; Mental Disorders; Mental Health; Psilocybin
PubMed: 34053342
DOI: 10.1177/02698811211008554 -
The Primary Care Companion For CNS... May 2023To synthesize the neurobiological basis of brain-resetting effects of psilocybin and identify neuroimaging correlates of psilocybin response in depressed patients....
To synthesize the neurobiological basis of brain-resetting effects of psilocybin and identify neuroimaging correlates of psilocybin response in depressed patients. MEDLINE(R), Embase, APA PsycINFO, Cochrane, and CINAHL were systematically searched on June 3, 2022, with no date restrictions using the following string: (psilocybin) AND (psychedelics) AND (MRI) OR (fMRI)) OR (PET)) OR (SPECT)) OR (imaging)) OR (neuroimaging)). After duplicates were removed from 946 studies, 391 studies remained, of which 8 qualified for full-text analysis, but only 5 fulfilled the eligibility criteria of randomized, double-blind, or open-label neuroimaging study with psilocybin treatment in depressed patients. The Covidence platform was used for deduplication and bias assessment. The data points included concomitant psychological intervention, modality of neuroimaging technique, changes in depression scores, brain functional changes, and association between functional and psilocybin response. Assessment bias was assessed with the standard risk of bias tool for randomized controlled trials and the tool for risk of bias in nonrandomized studies of interventions. Four studies were open-label, and one was a combined open-label and randomized controlled trial using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy was administered in 3 studies, 1 in refractory and 2 in nonrefractory patients. The remaining 2 studies were in refractory patients. The transient increase in psilocybin-induced global connectivity in major neural tracts and specific areas of brain activation was associated with antidepressant response. Transient functional brain changes with psilocybin therapy resemble the "brain reset" phenomenon and may serve as the putative predictors of psilocybin antidepressant response.
Topics: Humans; Antidepressive Agents; Brain; Depression; Psilocybin; Psychotherapy; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 37230065
DOI: 10.4088/PCC.22r03419 -
JAMA Psychiatry Aug 2019
Topics: Consciousness; Humans; Ketamine; Mental Disorders; N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; Psilocybin; Psychopharmacology; Psychotropic Drugs
PubMed: 31241740
DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.1145