Misc. news stories

The Mystery of the Dream-Inducing Plants of Ancient Iran
11th October 2023 doubleblindmag.com | Ancient, Humans, Misc.

Psychoactive plants bridge, be it the spirit world or distant cultures…Just as consuming them can blend one reality with another, the plants travel the world, crossing borders with the humans that carry them…Sometimes, their history is nearly forgotten. Such is the case of espand (Syrian rue), whose rituals were lost through the cracks of time.

California nearly decriminalizes psychedelics – but governor hits brakes
9th October 2023 | theguardian.com | Humans, Misc.

The rejected law, which was anticipated to take effect in 2025, would have done away with criminal penalties for people possessing natural psychedelics for personal use. It also would have required the state to form a group to study and make recommendations about the drugs’ therapeutic use.

Consciousness: why a leading theory has been branded ‘pseudoscience’
2nd October 2023 theconversation.com | Humans, Misc.

Civil war has broken out in the field of consciousness research. More than 100 consciousness researchers have signed a letter accusing one of the most popular scientific theories of consciousness – the integrated information theory – of being pseudoscience. Immediately, several other figures in the field responded by critiquing the letter as poorly reasoned and disproportionate.

Image by: Martin420 (Wiki Commons)

Forget the Visuals—Psychedelic DiPT Makes You Trip On Sound
27th September 2023 doubleblindmag.com | Humans, Misc.

In 1976, Alexander “Sasha” Shulgin was on a roll. The “godfather of psychedelics” had left the Dow Chemical Company, where, after developing the first biodegradable pesticide, he’d been given the freedom to research psychedelic compounds.

Scientists dive deep into Reddit data to decode the mysterious familiarity experienced in DMT trips
24th September 2023 | psypost.org | Humans, Misc.

A recent study, published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, delves into the mysterious world of DMT (dimethyltryptamine) experiences reported on Reddit. Researchers sought to understand the profound sense of familiarity that some users encounter during DMT-induced experiences and the potential implications of this enigmatic phenomenon.

Andrew Weil Says There’s No Such Thing as a Good or Bad Drug
19th September 2023 doubleblindmag.com | Humans, Misc.

“From coca to kava, we should be able to access all plant allies—and understand their beneficial properties.”

Ketamine shows potential for rapid and sustained anxiety relief
19th September 2023 | psypost.org | Humans, Misc.

A recent meta-analysis suggests that subanesthetic doses of ketamine can offer rapid and sustained anxiety relief, becoming noticeable within a few hours and lasting up to two weeks. The study has been published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.

A catalog of all human cells reveals a mathematical pattern
19th September 2023 | sciencenews.org | Humans, Misc.

The relationship between size and number also shows up in everything from ecosystems to language…After collecting data on all of the major types of cells in the body, researchers have revealed a familiar mathematical pattern in these cells’ relationship. There is an inverse relationship between cell size and number, meaning smaller cells are more numerous than larger cells.

Vocal learning linked to problem solving skills and brain size
18th September 2023 | eurekalert.org | Animal Life, Misc.

The European starling boasts a remarkable repertoire. Versatile songbirds that learn warbles, whistles, calls, and songs throughout their lives, starlings rank among the most advanced avian vocal learners. Now a new study published in Science finds that starlings, along with other complex vocal learners, are also superior problem solvers.

Study: Near-Death Patients Reveal Brain Activity After Heart Stopped
18th September 2023 | sciencealert.com | Humans, Misc.

A follow-up to a major study into the mysterious experiences of death has identified potential flickers of awareness in the minds of cardiac arrest patients as medical staff attempt to resuscitate them. This research was published in Resuscitation.

The firms hoping to take psychedelic drugs mainstream Published
15th September 2023 | bbc.co.uk | Humans, Misc.

This July in Bend, Oregon, Josh Goldstein facilitated one of the first magic mushroom sessions under the state’s new regulatory framework for people to access their active ingredient – psilocybin.

Psychedelic use linked to decreased alcohol and cocaine intake, but increased tobacco and cannabis consumption
14th September 2023 | psypost.org | Humans, Misc.

An online survey involving a vast number of adults revealed that after initiating psychedelic use, participants often reduced or stopped their intake of alcohol, antidepressants, and cocaine. Conversely, their consumption of cannabis and tobacco products increased. The study was published in the International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction.

Medical cannabis use in patients with chronic health issues linked to improvements in health-related quality of life
6th September 2023 medicalxpress.com | Humans, Misc.

Australian patients with chronic health issues prescribed medical cannabis showed significant improvements in overall health-related quality of life and fatigue in the first three months of use, along with improvements in anxiety, depression, and pain. See the study here.

This Saudi Woman is Creating Psychedelic Community in the Arab World
4th September 2023 | Humans, Misc.

In the Arab world, psychedelics are considered “haram,” or forbidden. Haya Al-Hejailan is working to reframe them as medicines.

Psychedelics induce “hypersynchrony” in multiple brain regions
4th September 2023 | psypost.org | Humans, Misc.

New research provides evidence that psychedelic experiences are related to “hypersynchrony” in the brain….The study also opened up an exciting avenue for understanding consciousness.

MDMA Appears To Reduce ‘Challenging Experiences’ Associated With Psilocybin And LSD, Study Finds
30th August 2023 | marijuanamoment.net | Humans, Misc.

The study, conducted by researchers at New York University’s Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine and the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London, suggests that “co-use of MDMA with psilocybin/LSD may buffer against some aspects of challenging experiences and enhance certain positive experiences”.

Image by: William Rafti (Wiki Commons)

Miscellaneous news stories.