Psychedelic research recap April 2024

Blossom, an excellent resource, with its tagline "Access our comprehensive database & reports to stay informed about the latest developments as psychedelics move from trials to treatments" has published a helpful recap of April's psychedelic research. This overview starts: "This April, psychedelic research dives deep into the mechanisms by which this group of compounds work their magic. We look at both the psychological level – at cognitive flexibility & the ‘inner healer’ concept – as well as the neurological level – battling it out between the 2a & 1a serotonin receptors. After mechanisms, we will take a closer look at two articles that look at the challenges that come with psychedelic research. The first explores the side effects seen in psychedelic studies, the second investigates the influence of the placebo effect in ketamine studies for depression. We will then remain in the risky corner when discussing two articles that pit MDMA against another amphetamine (meth). For the final two sections, we’ll first review the literature on 5-MeO-DMT, maybe the most reality-breaking psychedelic of them all (though your reviewer hasn’t tried salvia, so take my opinion with a grain of salt). After that, we will tackle research in areas where psychedelics are showing promise outside of the well-known indications (PTSD, depression, anxiety). The areas that were researched last month include functional seizures, personality disorders, and chronic cluster headaches."

For more psychedelic news and research, visit the psychedelic health professional network homepage.