PTSD – mycolab.ai

Sex-specific effects of psychedelic drug exposure on central amygdala reactivity and behavioral responding

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Researchers studied how psilocybin’s active form affects the brain’s fear center in both male and female rats. They found that a single dose produced different effects in males versus females, with males showing lasting reductions in fear responses over 28 days while females showed variable changes. These findings help explain why psychedelics might work differently between sexes and could inform how they’re used to treat anxiety and depression in humans.

Psilocybin-induced modulation of visual salience processing

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When people take psilocybin mushrooms, they look at images differently – they focus more on visually striking regions while keeping their eyes in smaller areas. Brain recordings showed changes in electrical activity patterns. The research suggests psilocybin alters how the brain balances what naturally catches attention versus where we intentionally choose to look.

Down the rabbit hole – the psychological and neural mechanisms of psychedelic compounds and their use in treating mental health and medical conditions

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Psychedelic compounds like psilocybin and LSD are showing significant promise for treating various mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. These substances appear to work through multiple mechanisms, including inducing profound mystical experiences and increasing neuroplasticity in the brain. Research indicates that environmental and contextual factors significantly influence how effective these treatments are, and even virtual reality experiences mimicking psychedelic effects show therapeutic benefits. The field is moving toward responsible, evidence-based clinical applications of psychedelics in psychiatry.

Leveraging psychedelic neuroscience to boost human creativity using artificial intelligence

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Psychedelic drugs like LSD and psilocybin enhance creativity by disrupting the brain’s Default Mode Network, allowing people to break free from rigid thinking patterns. This paper proposes that artificial intelligence systems could be designed to mimic these same cognitive effects—introducing novel information, making unexpected connections, and gradually expanding comfort with new ideas—thereby enhancing human creativity without drugs. By personalizing AI systems to each person’s personality type and gradually increasing novelty levels, these tools could make creative thinking accessible to people who might not naturally gravitate toward it.

An Occupational Perspective on Psychedelic Therapy: A Scoping Review

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This review examines how psychedelic therapy affects people’s daily lives and overall health from an occupational therapy perspective. Using interviews from nine studies, researchers found that people using psychedelics for mental health reported becoming more mindful and engaged in meaningful activities, better understanding themselves, increased motivation for positive change, and stronger connections with others and nature. The findings suggest psychedelic-assisted therapy can be understood as a meaningful occupation that enhances participation in everyday life rather than a harmful activity.

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.

Palliative care patients’ attitudes and openness towards psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for existential distress

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A study asked 31 palliative care patients about their views on using psilocybin (a compound from magic mushrooms) as a treatment for existential distress—the emotional and spiritual suffering that comes with terminal illness. Over half the patients were interested in trying this therapy, especially if they believed it could help with anxiety and stress. However, patients were concerned about risks like psychosis, the lack of trained therapists, and the potential for doctors to take advantage of them during treatment. The researchers concluded that while psilocybin-assisted therapy shows promise, there needs to be better education and strict safeguards to protect vulnerable patients.

Biological studies of clavine alkaloids targeting CNS receptors

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This paper reviews clavine alkaloids, a class of natural compounds from ergot fungi that show promise as psychiatric medications. Unlike well-known psychedelics like LSD, clavine alkaloids may provide therapeutic benefits for anxiety and depression without strong hallucinogenic effects. The authors highlight how these compounds interact with brain receptors in ways that could make them safer and more effective medications for treating mood and neurological disorders.

Psychotomimetic compensation versus sensitization

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This paper proposes a new way to understand why drugs that can cause psychosis-like effects (such as psilocybin, LSD, and ketamine) can also help treat depression and anxiety. The authors suggest that these drugs trigger compensatory responses in the brain that temporarily help us cope with stress, similar to how a runner’s high feels good during exercise. However, if someone uses these drugs repeatedly or experiences chronic stress, they may become sensitized and more vulnerable to developing actual psychotic symptoms over time.

Serotonin 5-HT2A receptor expression is chronically decreased in the anterior cerebral cortex of male rats following repetitive low-level blast exposure

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Military Veterans exposed to blast explosions often develop long-term problems with memory, anxiety, and PTSD. Researchers found that in rats exposed to blast, a brain receptor called 5-HT2A becomes less active, particularly in the front part of the brain involved in thinking and emotions. This decrease in the receptor correlates with anxiety-like behaviors in the animals. Since psychedelic substances like psilocybin activate this same receptor, the findings suggest that such substances might help treat PTSD and cognitive problems in blast-injured Veterans.

Disease: PTSD