Exploring DMT: Endogenous Role and Therapeutic Potential

Neuropharmacology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 110314 - 110314

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Study Protocol for ‘PsilOCD: A Pharmacological Challenge Study Evaluating the Effects of the 5-HT2A Agonist Psilocybin on the Neurocognitive and Clinical Correlates of Compulsivity’

Cureus, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 29, 2025

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a complex condition marked by persistent distressing thoughts and repetitive behaviours. Despite its prevalence, the mechanisms behind OCD remain elusive, current treatments are limited. This protocol outlines an investigative study for individuals with OCD, exploring potential of psilocybin to improve key components cognition implicated in disorder. The PsilOCD strives assess effects low-moderate treatment (10 mg) alongside non-interventional therapy on several facets OCD. main focus points cognitive flexibility, measured tests, neuroplasticity, assessed through electroencephalography (EEG). Methods: 20 blinded participants will complete two dosing sessions, separated four weeks, where they receive 1 mg first 10 second. dose serves as active placebo, latter that induces relatively mild-moderate emotional perceptual effects. Participants be supported trained psychedelic therapists, who sit them during each session provide virtual preparation integration sessions over 12-week period. Therapeutic support same both sessions. PsilOCD's primary outcomes include scores intradimensional-extradimensional (ID-ED) shift task, which established measure neuroplasticity quantified visual long-term potentiation (vLTP) task. task delivered part EEG paradigm measures acute changes brain's system. ID-ED conducted twice, days after session, recordings also taken immediately session. Secondary outcome assessments affective symptom severity, well array patient-reported (PROMs), form questionnaires designed well-being, dissociable well-established mood-related (affective) measures, participants' subjective experience experience. Discussion: study's results expected offer critical insights into neural underlying psilocybin-assisted treating whether these correlate features condition. As secondary aim, it ascertain low, tolerable feasible efficacious clinical treatment, crucial data guide design follow-up randomised control trial (RCT).

Language: Английский

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With great power comes great vulnerability: an ethical analysis of psychedelics’ therapeutic mechanisms proposed by the REBUS hypothesis

Journal of Medical Ethics, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 49(12), P. 826 - 832

Published: April 12, 2023

Psychedelics are experiencing a renaissance in mental healthcare. In recent years, more and early phase trials on psychedelic-assisted therapy have been conducted, with promising results overall. However, ethical analyses of this rediscovered form treatment remain rare. The present paper contributes to the inquiry by analysing implications its therapeutic mechanisms proposed relaxed beliefs under psychedelics (REBUS) hypothesis. short, REBUS hypothesis states that make rigid revisable increasing influence bottom-up input. Put differently, patients become highly suggestible sensitive context during psychedelic session, amplifying effects. Due that, vulnerable than other interventions; they lose control session dependent setting (including therapist). This enhanced vulnerability is ethically relevant has exploited some therapists past. Therefore, current research settings starting mainstream medical need be well informed about psychedelics' their give valid consent treatment. Furthermore, security measures warranted protect from coming therapy.

Language: Английский

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Mindfulness meditation and psychedelics: potential synergies and commonalities

Pharmacological Reports, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 75(6), P. 1398 - 1409

Published: Nov. 6, 2023

There has been increasing scientific and clinical interest in studying psychedelic meditation-based interventions recent years, both the context of improving mental health as tools for understanding mind. Several authors suggest neurophysiological phenomenological parallels overlaps between meditative states synergistic effects methods. Both psychedelic-assisted therapy meditation training form mindfulness-based have experimentally validated with moderate to large alternative treatments a variety problems, including depression, addictions, anxiety disorders. demonstrated significant post-acute long-term decreases symptoms enhancements well-being healthy participants, addition. Postulated shared salutogenic mechanisms, include, among others ability alter self-consciousness, present-moment awareness antidepressant action via corresponding neuromodulatory effects. These mechanisms mindfulness intervention led scientists theorizing, recently demonstrating, positive when are used combination. Research findings that these two approaches can complement each other, enhancing interventions. However, more theoretical accounts methodologically sound research needed before they be extended into practice. The current review aims discuss rationale combining psychedelics training, predictive coding framework well regarding synergies commonalities intervention. In addition, suggestions how combine modalities provided.

Language: Английский

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Know thyself (Jnana Yoga): Psychotherapeutic insights from the east

Asian Journal of Psychiatry, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 92, P. 103907 - 103907

Published: Jan. 3, 2024

Language: Английский

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Spirituality as a Therapeutic Approach for Severe Mental Illness: Insights from Neural Networks

Religions, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(4), P. 489 - 489

Published: April 16, 2024

This article explores the link between spirituality/religiosity and mental health from a clinical neuroscience perspective, taking into account advancements in neuroimaging. Specifically, it examines how spirituality influences treatment of illness, emphasizing importance neuronal networks cognitive emotional processes, with focus on default mode network (DMN) brain. The discussion role managing disorders alterations DMN may provide insight impact health. By also discussing spiritual non-spiritual meditation, as well experiences facilitated by use psychedelics psychiatry associated brain networks, we aim to elaborate limitations within psychiatry.

Language: Английский

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Transcranial focused ultrasound to the posterior cingulate cortex modulates default mode network and subjective experience: an fMRI pilot study

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 18

Published: June 4, 2024

Background Transcranial focused ultrasound (TFUS) is an emerging neuromodulation tool for temporarily altering brain activity and probing network functioning. The effects of TFUS on the default mode (DMN) are unknown. Objective study examined transcranial functional connectivity (DMN), specifically by targeting posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). Additionally, we investigated subjective mood, mindfulness, self-related processing. Methods employed a randomized, single-blind design involving 30 healthy subjects. Participants were randomly assigned to either active group or sham group. Resting-state magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scans conducted before after application. To measure effects, Toronto Mindfulness Scale, Visual Analog Mood Amsterdam Resting State Questionnaire administered at baseline min sonication. Self Scale unstructured interview also Results exhibited significant reductions in along midline DMN, while showed no changes. demonstrated increased state reduced Global Vigor, temporary alterations sense ego, time, recollection memories. increase too, with other effects. Conclusions targeted PCC can alter DMN cause changes experience. These findings support potential serve both as research therapeutic intervention.

Language: Английский

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Neurobiological research on N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and its potentiation by monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibition: from ayahuasca to synthetic combinations of DMT and MAO inhibitors

Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 81(1)

Published: Sept. 10, 2024

Abstract The potent hallucinogen N,N- dimethyltryptamine (DMT) has garnered significant interest in recent years due to its profound effects on consciousness and therapeutic psychopotential. DMT is an integral (but not exclusive) psychoactive alkaloid the Amazonian plant-based brew ayahuasca, which admixture of several β -carboline monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitors potentiate activity oral DMT, while possibly contributing other respects complex psychopharmacology ayahuasca. Irrespective route administration, alters perception, mood, cognition, presumably through agonism at serotonin (5-HT) 1A/2A/2C receptors brain, with additional actions receptor types overall effects. Due rapid first pass metabolism, nearly inactive orally, but co-administration -carbolines or synthetic MAO-A (MAOIs) greatly increase bioavailability duration action. synergistic MAOIs ayahuasca formulations may promote neuroplasticity, underlies their promising efficacy clinical trials for neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder. Advances neuroimaging techniques are elucidating neural correlates DMT-induced altered states consciousness, revealing alterations brain activity, functional connectivity, network dynamics. In this comprehensive narrative review, we present a synthesis current knowledge pharmacology neuroscience -carbolines, should inform future research aiming harness full potential.

Language: Английский

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Impact of psilocybin on cognitive function: A systematic review

Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 78(12), P. 744 - 764

Published: Oct. 1, 2024

Psilocybin is a classic psychedelic with demonstrated preliminary clinical efficacy in range of psychiatric disorders. Evaluating the impact psilocybin on cognitive function essential to unravel its potential benefits and risks. In this systematic review, we assessed psilocybin's effect through comprehensive search electronic databases from inception January 2024, identifying 20 articles involving 2,959 participants. While 85% studies were conducted healthy volunteers, most these (85%) used macrodoses, ranging 45 μg/kg 30 mg/70 kg. Various aspects evaluated yielded mixed results. Global function, processing speed remained mostly unchanged individuals; However, limited number reported improvements certain areas such as sustained attention, working memory, executive especially patients treatment‐resistant depression (TRD). Emotional was positively modified, particularly TRD patients. observed enhance emotional empathy without significantly altering social cognition. Cognitive flexibility creative cognition noted initially decline but could potentially improve over time. Additionally, respect learning memory skills, showed promise improving specific types semantic associations associative learning, while effects episodic verbal have been less pronounced compared other enhancers. The findings underscore complexity influence. Further research provide clearer understanding domains guide development safe effective interventions.

Language: Английский

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The potential of 5‐methoxy‐N,N‐dimethyltryptamine in the treatment of alcohol use disorder: A first look at therapeutic mechanisms of action

Addiction Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 29(4)

Published: April 1, 2024

Abstract Alcohol use disorder (AUD) remains one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders worldwide with high economic costs. Current treatment options show modest efficacy and relapse rates are high. Furthermore, there increases in gap few new medications have been approved past 20 years. Recently, psychedelic‐assisted therapy psilocybin lysergic acid diethylamide has garnered significant attention AUD. Yet, they require amounts therapist input due to prolonged subjective effects (~4–12 h) leading costs impeding implementation. Accordingly, is an increasing interest rapid short‐acting psychedelic 5‐methoxy‐ N,N ‐dimethyltryptamine (5‐MeO‐DMT). This paper offers a first look at potential therapeutic mechanisms for AUD by reviewing current literature on 5‐MeO‐DMT. Primarily, 5‐MeO‐DMT able induce mystical experiences ego‐dissolution together psychological flexibility mindfulness. could decrease symptoms through alleviation mood‐related comorbidities consistent negative reinforcement self‐medication paradigms. In addition, preliminary evidence indicates that modulates neural oscillations might subserve (increases gamma ), mindfulness theta reorganization executive control networks coherence across frequencies) improve emotion regulation inhibition. Finally, animal studies characterized neuroplasticity, anti‐inflammation, 5‐HT 2A receptor agonism, downregulation metabotropic glutamate 5 clinical implications comorbidities. The concludes several recommendations future research establish purported action.

Language: Английский

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