major depressive disorder – Page 2

Psychedelic iatrogenic structural dissociation: an exploratory hypothesis on dissociative risks in psychedelic use

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This paper explores potential risks of psychedelic use in people who have experienced trauma, proposing that psychedelics might reactivate unprocessed traumatic memories and cause psychological instability. The authors suggest that while psychedelics show promise for treating depression and PTSD, people with trauma histories need careful screening and support before, during, and after use. They recommend body-focused therapies and strong social support to help safely integrate traumatic material that might surface during psychedelic experiences.

Comparative Efficacy and Functional Outcomes of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies in Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Systematic Review of Recent Clinical Trials

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This systematic review examines how psychedelic-assisted therapies like ketamine and psilocybin help people with severe, treatment-resistant depression that doesn’t respond to standard antidepressants. The analysis of 10 recent clinical trials shows these therapies work quickly, often providing symptom relief within days rather than weeks, and importantly, they also help people return to work and daily functioning. These treatments are generally well-tolerated with minimal cognitive side effects, suggesting they could become important new options for patients who haven’t benefited from conventional depression treatments.

Comparative oral monotherapy of psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, ayahuasca, and escitalopram for depressive symptoms: systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis

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This study compared psychedelic drugs (psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, ayahuasca) with the antidepressant escitalopram for treating depression. Researchers analyzed 19 clinical trials and found that while psilocybin showed promise, its actual effectiveness was smaller than previously reported due to blinding issues in earlier studies. High-dose psilocybin performed better than escitalopram in some comparisons, but had a similar small effect size to current antidepressants.

Comparing Antidepressant Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy in Individuals That Were Unmedicated at Initial Screening Versus Individuals Discontinuing Medications for Study Participation

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This study compared how well psilocybin therapy works for people with treatment-resistant depression depending on whether they were already off antidepressants or had stopped taking them for the study. The researchers found that both groups improved similarly in depression and anxiety symptoms after receiving psilocybin with therapy support. These results suggest that stopping antidepressants before psilocybin treatment may not reduce its effectiveness, though more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between medication status and treatment outcomes.

Ketamine induces multiple individually distinct whole-brain functional connectivity signatures

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This study examined how ketamine, a promising depression treatment, affects different people’s brains in different ways. Rather than averaging brain scans across all participants, researchers looked at individual differences and found that each person showed unique patterns of brain activity changes. The research suggests that personalized approaches to ketamine treatment, based on individual brain responses, could help identify which patients would benefit most from the therapy.

Methodological challenges in psychedelic drug trials: Efficacy and safety of psilocybin in treatment-resistant major depression (EPIsoDE) – Rationale and study design

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This research paper describes a major clinical trial testing whether psilocybin (the active compound in magic mushrooms) can treat depression that doesn’t respond to standard medications. The trial involves 144 patients receiving either psilocybin at different doses or a placebo in a carefully controlled medical setting with psychological support. The researchers developed special methods to address unique challenges in psychedelic research, such as making it difficult for patients to guess whether they received the active drug, and ensuring all patients eventually get access to the potentially helpful treatment.

Negative affective bias in depression following treatment with psilocybin or escitalopram – a secondary analysis from a randomized trial

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This research compared how psilocybin mushrooms and escitalopram (a common antidepressant) affect the way depressed people perceive emotions. Both treatments helped patients become better at recognizing positive facial expressions and less likely to misinterpret neutral or positive faces as negative. Interestingly, while both treatments improved emotional processing similarly, the improvements were connected to later mood improvement in different ways for each drug, suggesting they may work through somewhat different mechanisms in the brain.

Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy: Potential Benefits and Challenges in Mental Health Treatment

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This review examines how psychedelic substances like psilocybin and MDMA, when combined with professional psychotherapy, show promise in treating difficult-to-treat mental health conditions including depression, PTSD, and anxiety. While early research suggests these substances could help in cases where conventional treatments have failed, the evidence is still preliminary and limited by small study sizes. Psychedelics appear to work by changing how the brain processes information and memories, though much more rigorous research is needed before they can be considered standard treatments.

Psychedelic Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy Reduces Depressive Symptoms in Adults with Cancer and Depression

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Researchers conducted a trial testing psilocybin-assisted therapy in cancer patients with depression. Participants received a single dose of psilocybin combined with therapy sessions. After eight weeks, most patients showed significant improvement in depression symptoms, with many achieving full remission. The treatment was generally safe with only mild side effects, and patients reported feeling more hopeful and better equipped to cope with their cancer diagnosis.

Psychedelics and Suicide-Related Outcomes: A Systematic Review

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This comprehensive review examined how psychedelic substances like psilocybin and MDMA affect suicidal thoughts. Overall, psilocybin and MDMA-assisted therapy showed promise in reducing suicidal ideation in controlled clinical settings, with effects appearing within weeks. However, LSD use was associated with increased suicidal thoughts. The researchers conclude that while psychedelics show potential, more research is needed to ensure safety and understand how they work.

Disease: major depressive disorder