
UP-TO-DATE, RESEARCH BASED INFORMATION ABOUT PSYCHEDELICS.
US surge in microdosing interest
Searches for microdosing in the US remained stable until 2014, then increased annually thereafter, with a cumulative increase by a factor of 13.4 from 2015 to 2023 (7.9 per 10 million to 105.6 per 10 million searches, respectively). In 2023, there were 3.0 million microdosing searches in the US.
Is a drug even needed to induce a psychedelic experience?
How much of this sometimes life-altering experience is chemical and empirical, and how much is mental and subjective?
Rand report: Considering alternatives to psychedelic drug prohibition
Within the class of drugs generally classified as psychedelics, psilocybin has the highest past-year and past-month prevalence rates among U.S. adults. Of those ages 18 and older, 3.1 percent — or approximately 8 million people — used psilocybin in 2023.
Dutch panel recommends MDMA for post-traumatic stress disorder
The Dutch government should allow treatment with ecstasy chemical MDMA for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an advisory body set up to look at the issue has recommended.
Ketamine pills for depression show positive results in trial — but with caveats
Even after selecting patients who initially responded to ketamine, 59.5 percent of the enriched participants still dropped out of the trial before its completion, largely due to a lack of efficacy.
Disentangling the acute subjective effects of classic psychedelics from their enduring therapeutic properties
Can the acute subjective effects of classic psychedelics be dissociated from their sustained therapeutic properties? Several plausible clinical scenarios are proposed to offer clarity on and potentially answer this question.
WHO annual world drug report 2024
A global reference on drug markets, trends and policy developments, the World Drug Report offers a wealth of data and analysis and in 2024 comprises several elements tailored to different audiences.
Extended-release ketamine tablets for treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled phase 2 trial
Ketamine has rapid-onset antidepressant activity in patients with treatment-resistant major depression (TRD). The safety and tolerability of racemic ketamine may be improved if given orally, as an extended-release tablet (R-107), compared with other routes of administration.
ICER issues final evidence report and recommendations re: MDMA-assisted therapy; Lykos responds
Psychedelic Alpha issued a helpful discussion of both the Institute for Clinical & Economic Review's Final Evidence Report and Lykos Therapeutic's response.
4-AcO-DMT is the most accessible (and mysterious) drug on the market right now
Legions of brands are putting 4-AcO-DMT in products, but the drug’s widespread availability has some experts worried.
Phase 1, placebo-controlled, single ascending dose trial to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics and effect on altered states of consciousness of intranasal BPL-003 (5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine benzoate) in healthy participants
The intensity of the SDI ratings was associated with plasma 5-MeO-DMT concentrations. MEQ-30 and EDI scores generally increased with the BPL-003 dose; 60% of participants had a ‘complete mystical experience’ at 10 and 12 mg doses.
Altered states and social bonds: Effects of MDMA and serotonergic psychedelics on social behavior as a mechanism underlying substance-assisted therapy
While both MDMA and serotonergic psychedelics produce prosocial effects, they differ in the mechanisms through which they do this. These differences affect the types of psychosocial interventions that may work best with each compound.
Trips through the skin: Reviewing cutaneous drug reactions to psychedelics and hallucinogens
Although psychedelic and hallucinogenic substances have gained popularity for therapeutic use, their dermatologic adverse effects are poorly characterized. This review characterizes the cutaneous reactions associated with psychedelic and hallucinogenic drugs.
At-home, telehealth-supported ketamine treatment for depression: Findings from longitudinal, machine learning and symptom network analysis of real-world data
Conclusions At-home, telehealth-supported ketamine administration was largely safe, well-tolerated, and associated with improvement in patients with depression. Strategies for combining psychedelic-oriented therapies with rigorous telehealth models, as explored here, may uniquely address barriers to mental health treatment.
Psilocybin mushroom potency can degrade by nearly 50% in six months, new data shows
Tomás says the Hyphae Labs team is designing a more detailed experiment around the longevity of alkaloid molecules, specifically psilocybin and psilocin. The results of the first experiment—and the public’s receptivity to it—warrant a deeper investigation into storage conditions, including how heat, moisture, and oxygen play a role in the degradation of psilocybin and the timeline in which it occurs. Praise the deep-space mushroom deities that someone is doing this work.
Psychological effects of psychedelics in adolescents
To our knowledge, this is the first prospective study to examine the psychological effects of psychedelic use specifically in adolescents. Statistically significant improvements in psychological well-being and other domains of mental health were observed, consistent with effects seen previously in adults, providing tentative evidence for the potential utility of psychedelic interventions in adolescents.
Psychedelics, OCD and related disorders: A systematic review
This review contributes to our understanding of the potential of classic psychedelics (in particular LSD and psilocybin) as novel therapeutic interventions for OCD and related disorders, offering insights into future research directions and clinical applications in this emerging field.
Microdosing psychedelics: Current evidence from controlled studies
Acute microdoses of LSD dose-dependently altered blood pressure, sleep, neural connectivity, social cognition, mood, and perception of pain and time. Perceptible drug effects were reported at doses of 10 to 20 μg but not 5 μg. No serious adverse effects were reported.
Community-based psychedelic integration and social efficacy: An ethnographic study in the Southeastern United States
Community-based non-therapeutic integration groups can play a vital role in the positive integration of psychedelic experiences, improving mental health and quality of life for users.
Evolving guidelines for the use of touch during a clinical trial of group psilocybin-assisted therapy
For a new clinical trial testing a group retreat-based format of psilocybin-assisted therapy, our research team created an initial set of practice guidelines that aimed to describe facilitator use of touch in a way that is ethical, supportive, and minimizes harm.