Research Keyword: depression treatment

Current situation regarding psychedelics and magic mushroom in Korea

This article reviews the current status of psychedelic mushrooms and their potential medical uses in Korea. Several wild mushroom species containing psilocybin have been identified in Korea and can cause hallucinations and other nervous system effects lasting a few hours. While psychedelics show promise for treating depression and anxiety, Korea currently classifies them as controlled substances, and only approved clinical trials can be conducted with government permission.

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Body mass index (BMI) does not predict responses to psilocybin

Researchers investigated whether a person’s body weight affects how they respond to psilocybin-assisted therapy. Analyzing 77 participants across three studies, they found that BMI did not predict how intensely people experienced the drug or how much their mental health improved afterward. This surprising finding suggests that everyone might benefit from the same fixed dose of psilocybin rather than doses adjusted to body weight, making therapy simpler and more cost-effective to deliver at scale.

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Fungal Drug Discovery for Chronic Disease: History, New Discoveries and New Approaches

This article examines how fungi have provided humanity with some of the most important medicines ever created, including penicillin, drugs that prevent organ rejection, and cholesterol-lowering statins. Many of these fungal compounds work as medicines because they target processes that are similar in both fungi and humans, helping them survive competition with other fungi while coincidentally treating human diseases. New researchers are now using modern genetic tools to discover additional fungal medicines, with several promising candidates currently being tested in clinical trials for cancer, depression, and other chronic diseases.

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The Immune Mind: Linking Dietary Patterns, Microbiota, and Psychological Health

This review shows that what we eat significantly affects our mental health through our gut bacteria and immune system. Mediterranean-style diets rich in vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats can help reduce depression and anxiety symptoms. Conversely, ultra-processed foods with added sugars and artificial ingredients increase the risk of mental health problems. Specific probiotic supplements may also provide modest benefits for mood by promoting beneficial gut bacteria.

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The Potential Role of Psilocybin in Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery: A Narrative Review

This review examines how psilocybin, a compound found in certain mushrooms, may help people recover from traumatic brain injuries. The research suggests that psilocybin could reduce harmful inflammation in the brain, help the brain form new connections to compensate for damage, and improve mood and depression commonly experienced after brain injuries. While promising, the authors emphasize that more clinical trials are needed to confirm safety and effectiveness before psilocybin can be used to treat brain injury patients.

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Psilocin, LSD, mescaline, and DOB all induce broadband desynchronization of EEG and disconnection in rats with robust translational validity

Researchers tested how different psychedelic drugs affect brain electrical activity in rats using EEG recordings. They found that psilocin, LSD, mescaline, and DOB all produced similar patterns of decreased brain activity and reduced communication between brain regions. Importantly, these effects in rats closely matched what scientists observe in human brain studies, suggesting that rats can be useful for understanding how psychedelics work in the brain.

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Psilocybin as Transformative Fast-Acting Antidepressant: Pharmacological Properties and Molecular Mechanisms

Psilocybin, a compound from certain mushrooms, is being studied as a potential rapid-acting treatment for severe depression that doesn’t respond to standard antidepressants. Unlike conventional antidepressants that take weeks to work, psilocybin shows promise for producing mood improvements within days. The drug works by activating serotonin receptors in the brain and promoting the growth of new neural connections, though researchers are still working to fully understand how it achieves its antidepressant effects.

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A clinical protocol for group-based ketamine-assisted therapy in a community of practice: the Roots To Thrive model

The Roots to Thrive ketamine-assisted therapy program is a 12-week group treatment that combines ketamine sessions with weekly group meetings, somatic practices, and emotional support. The program integrates both Western clinical approaches and Indigenous wisdom, treating depression, anxiety, and PTSD in groups of 20-40 participants. Over 750 people have participated with significant improvements in mental health symptoms and life functioning, demonstrating that this group-based approach is both safe and effective.

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The development of psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression: an update

Psilocybin, a compound found in certain mushrooms, is being studied as a potential treatment for severe depression that doesn’t respond to standard medications. In clinical trials, patients receiving psilocybin alongside psychological support showed significant improvement in depressive symptoms within days to weeks, with benefits lasting for months. Unlike daily antidepressant pills, psilocybin therapy involves one or more carefully supervised dosing sessions in a hospital setting with therapeutic support before and after. Larger studies are underway to confirm its effectiveness and safety before it could potentially become an approved treatment.

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The phenomenology of psilocybin’s experience mediates subsequent persistent psychological effects independently of sex, previous experience, or setting

A research study examined how psilocybin experiences affect long-term mental health and well-being in healthy volunteers. Participants received two doses of psilocybin in controlled medical settings while undergoing brain imaging. The study found that psilocybin consistently produced positive, lasting improvements in mood, well-being, and spiritual outlook, regardless of whether people had used psychedelics before, their sex, or the specific imaging setting used.

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