Disease: tobacco addiction

If psychedelics heal, how do they do it?

Psychedelic drugs like MDMA and magic mushrooms are showing remarkable promise in treating serious mental health conditions like PTSD and depression, with clinical trials demonstrating higher success rates than traditional therapy alone. However, scientists still don’t fully understand how these drugs work at the molecular and brain level, or whether the hallucinations they produce are necessary for healing. Researchers are investigating whether modified versions without hallucinations could provide the same benefits while being easier to administer, while also exploring how individual factors and treatment environment affect outcomes.

Read More »

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

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.

Read More »

Psychedelic-induced mystical experiences: An interdisciplinary discussion and critique

This paper examines how psychedelic research studies ‘mystical experiences’—profound spiritual-type states often linked to therapeutic benefits. The authors argue that current scientific measures of these experiences are based on Western Christian and colonial-era ideas about mysticism that aren’t universal. They propose that scientists should work more closely with religious scholars and anthropologists to better understand these complex experiences across different cultures and contexts.

Read More »

Rediscovering Psilocybin as an Antidepressive Treatment Strategy

Scientists have renewed their investigation into psilocybin, a compound found in certain mushrooms, as a potential treatment for depression. Studies show promising results with patients experiencing significant improvements in depressive symptoms, sometimes sustained for months after a single treatment session. When administered in controlled therapeutic environments with professional support, psilocybin appears relatively safe, though it can cause temporary side effects like headaches and anxiety. This research represents an important shift in how we might treat severe depression, especially in patients who haven’t responded to conventional antidepressants.

Read More »

Psychedelics: Alternative and Potential Therapeutic Options for Treating Mood and Anxiety Disorders

This comprehensive review explores how psychedelic drugs like psilocybin mushrooms, DMT, and LSD may offer new hope for treating depression, anxiety, and PTSD, especially for patients who don’t respond to conventional antidepressants. Historically used in spiritual ceremonies for thousands of years, these compounds are now being scientifically studied and show promise with fewer side effects than many traditional psychiatric medications. The authors emphasize that while results are encouraging, more research and regulatory approval are needed before these treatments become widely available in mainstream medicine.

Read More »

A Review of Synthetic Access to Therapeutic Compounds Extracted from Psilocybe

Scientists have discovered that magic mushrooms contain compounds called psilocybin and psilocin that show promise in treating depression and other psychiatric conditions. However, extracting enough of these compounds from mushrooms is difficult, so chemists have developed multiple ways to synthesize them in laboratories. This review examines different chemical and biological methods for producing these therapeutic compounds, from traditional synthesis techniques to modern approaches using special catalysts and enzymes, making these medicines more accessible for clinical research.

Read More »

Safety, tolerability, and clinical and neural effects of single-dose psilocybin in obsessive–compulsive disorder: protocol for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, non-crossover trial

This study tests whether psilocybin (the active compound in certain mushrooms) can help people with obsessive-compulsive disorder who haven’t responded to standard treatments. In a carefully controlled trial, participants receive either a single dose of psilocybin or a placebo while receiving psychological support, with their brain activity and symptoms monitored. The research aims to determine if this novel treatment is safe and whether it could work faster than existing medications for this difficult-to-treat condition.

Read More »

Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of Psilocybe Mushrooms: Gaps and Perspectives

This comprehensive review examined what we know about Psilocybe mushrooms, which are known for their mind-altering effects due to compounds called psilocybin and psilocin. The study found that while these mushrooms show promise for treating depression and anxiety, most research has focused only on their psychoactive properties. The review identified over 30 chemical compounds in these mushrooms and noted that some species show potential antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The authors emphasize that much more research is needed to explore other potential health benefits and to understand exactly how individual compounds work in the body.

Read More »

Chemical Composition and Biological Activities of Psilocybe Mushrooms: Gaps and Perspectives

This review examined research on Psilocybe mushrooms and their chemical compounds, particularly psilocybin and psilocin, which show promise for treating depression and anxiety. The authors found that while these psychoactive compounds have been extensively studied, many other chemical substances in these mushrooms remain unexplored. Additionally, preliminary studies suggest these mushrooms may have antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, though more research is needed. The review highlights significant gaps in understanding the full potential of Psilocybe mushrooms for medical applications.

Read More »
Scroll to Top