psychedelics

In a video posted on TikTok, Fort Collins resident Rachel Pastor outlines the key ways to benefit from microdosing with psilocybin. Take care of your physical body, she says, and be sure to set an intention when taking the substance. Have a consistent microdosing routine and, most importantly, make time to reflect on the experience and apply any lessons learned to other aspects of life. Pastor’s video, which has been viewed more than 10,000 times, is like many others on the social media platform that tout the benefits of…

Researchers have used the protein-structure-prediction tool AlphaFold to identify hundreds of thousands of potential new psychedelic molecules — which could help to develop new kinds of antidepressant. The research shows, for the first time, that AlphaFold predictions — available at the touch of a button — can be just as useful for drug discovery as experimentally derived protein structures, which can take months, or even years, to determine.The development is a boost for AlphaFold, the artificial-intelligence (AI) tool…

A recent trial suggests that psilocybin, combined with therapy, significantly reduces depression in cancer patients. Participants experienced lasting improvements and valued the group therapy approach. Further studies are necessary to validate these promising results. Credit: SciTechDaily.com Clinical trial results support further study of this psychedelic substance, administered with psychological support from trained therapists, in affected patients.Results from a phase II clinical trial indicate that psilocybin, a…

A recent study found esketamine nasal spray to be more effective than quetiapine extended-release in treating treatment-resistant depression, offering new hope for effective management of this challenging condition. Severe depression and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) are prevalent conditions. About one-third of patients show no improvement with standard treatments like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). TRD contributes to a higher incidence of…

Clinical trials indicate that esketamine is more effective than some standard treatments for treatment-resistant major depression. The study, presented at the 36th ECNP Congress and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that patients on esketamine, combined with antidepressants, showed better remission rates than those on quetiapine. These findings present a promising new treatment avenue for those with treatment-resistant depression.Increases the number of patients likely to respond to treatment for…

By C. Michael White, University of Connecticut November 18, 2023The drug ketamine shows promise in rapidly reducing PTSD and depression symptoms, according to a recent study published in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy. While traditionally used as an anesthetic and sometimes misused, ketamine’s potential in mental health treatment is being explored.Recent research indicates that ketamine, traditionally an anesthetic, can quickly reduce PTSD and depression symptoms. This finding is significant given the slow onset of…

Research indicates that psychedelics like psilocybin could be effective in treating mental health conditions, particularly depression. Clinical trials incorporating psychotherapy show promise, but the complex regulatory environment and need for more scientific evidence pose challenges.Journal of Psychiatric Practice presents review and update on psychedelics for mental disorders.A growing body of evidence suggests that psychedelic drugs may be useful in treating various mental health conditions. However, many challenges…

SUBSCRIBE: Apple | Spotify This is Episode Two of a three-part Fascination on the science of psychedelics. You can listen to Episode One here. Rachel Nuwer: Imagine that you’re going about your day, and suddenly someone stabs a hot knife into your temple. It plunges into your brain, where it reaches a spot just behind your eye. If you feel like this is happening, you’re probably having a cluster headache. Only about one in 1,000 people experience such headaches, but for those that do, they’re excruciating. Now imagine…

SUBSCRIBE: Apple | Spotify This is Episode Three of a three-part Fascination on the science of psychedelics. You can listen to Episode One here and Episode Two here. Gül Dölen: I remember when I first applied to the NIH, my program officer was like, “No, nobody will ever give psychedelics as a therapy. You’re barking up the wrong tree. You should be studying why these things are bad for the brain.” Nuwer: This was back in 2014, when Johns Hopkins neuroscientist Gül Dölen was trying to get funding to study whether…

The death of a loved one following a cancer battle can trigger prolonged grief that can seemingly cause life to come to a standstill. It can also be difficult to treat with traditional medication and therapy, leaving the griever 'stuck' in this stage for a year or more.Now, in one of the first trials of its kind and the first in Australia since psychedelics were approved for therapeutic use, psilocybin will be used to treat adults in this grief holding pattern.“Prolonged grief can cause really intense and overwhelming…