Misc. news stories

A new brain imaging study has revealed that lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) alters brain connectivity in ways that are notably different from methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDMA) and d-amphetamine…The research was published in Molecular Psychiatry.

Colorado regulators are issuing licenses for providing psychedelic mushrooms and are planning to authorize the state’s first “healing centers,” where the mushrooms can be ingested under supervision, in late spring or early summer.

In a recent case report published in Frontiers in Immunology, scientists in Canada described how an experimental treatment using a naturally derived substance called ibogaine appeared to improve symptoms and brain health in two individuals with multiple sclerosis.

A new study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology suggests that intravenous ketamine, when administered in a setting that mirrors psychedelic-assisted therapy, can lead to substantial and sustained reductions in symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

A study conducted in Switzerland examined changes in empathy among depressed individuals following a single dose of psilocybin. Participants who received psilocybin demonstrated substantial improvements in emotional empathy compared to the control group, which received a placebo. These improvements lasted for at least two weeks after treatment. The paper was published in Molecular Psychiatry.

A study on rats found that administering 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine before giving them an opportunity to take heroin reduced their motivation to do so…The study also identified a specific type of receptor on neural cells that is crucial for this effect. The paper was published in Neuropharmacology.

A powerful psychedelic that is used in healing ceremonies by Indigenous groups in the Amazon is being trialled as a pioneering approach to reduce problematic alcohol consumption.

A recent study examining the effects of ketamine infusion on depression found that the infusion induces psychological experiences of awe. These experiences may mediate the effects of ketamine on the improvement of depression symptoms. The paper was published in Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science.

The process for synthesizing Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD), more commonly known as “acid,” has long been shrouded by complex chemistry jargon, not to mention laws discouraging anybody from posting the process online lest they incur serious legal consequences. As such, learning how to make LSD has long been a process known only to a select few. Until now, anyway.

Psychedelics are being tested as add-ons to psychotherapy, but in trials, there’s little detail about how the therapy is actually conducted, Dr. Albino Oliveira-Maia says.

A new study published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs has uncovered significant associations between naturalistic ayahuasca use and improved mental health.

In a new study, researchers found that participants consumed the psychedelic substance in a therapeutic context reported reduced depression and improvements in their sleep quality. The findings were published in Current Psychiatry Reports.

DMT might be the vehicle behind dreams, spiritual awakenings, and even wild visions during near-death experiences.

A new quantum theory explaining how light and matter interact has also provided the first-ever depiction of the shape of a single light particle, a photon. The research is published in the Physical Review Letters.

The VA is stepping up with its first psychedelic research study in decades, aiming to determine if MDMA-assisted therapy can offer real relief for veterans struggling with PTSD.

Voters in Massachusetts rejected Question 4, a ballot initiative that would have decriminalized plant-based psychedelics for residents and green-lit a state-regulated psychedelic-assisted therapy system.