Modulation of Social Cognition via Hallucinogens and “Entactogens”

Preller, Katrin H.; Vollenweider, Franz X.

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00881

Cited by 42 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 105 publications

(200 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Classical psychedelics have repeatedly been shown to modulate social cognition (for a detailed review, see [117]). Healthy participants reported increases in interpersonal closeness and positive/ altruistic social effects up to 14 months after the administration of psilocybin and LSD [118,119].…”

Section: Changes In Neuropsychological Functions and Functional Networkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, the pharmacology underlying psychedelic-induced changes in social cognition and behavior is not well understood yet. Some acute effects of psychedelics on social processing have been shown to be blocked by pre-administration of 5-HT2A receptor agonists (for a detailed review, see [125]). Neuropeptides such as oxytocin have repeatedly, although not unanimously, been related to social behavior [126].…”

Section: Changes In Neuropsychological Functions and Functional Networkmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Classical Psychedelics as Therapeutics in Psychiatry – Current Clinical Evidence and Potential Therapeutic Mechanisms in Substance Use and Mood Disorders

Mertens

Preller

2021

Pharmacopsychiatry

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Classical psychedelics, primarily psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), have been used and extensively studied in Western medicine as part of substance-assisted psychotherapy in the 1950s and 1960s. Modern clinical research is currently gaining momentum and provides new evidence for the safety and efficacy of classical psychedelics (primarily psilocybin, but also LSD and ayahuasca) in the treatment of different psychiatric conditions, including substance use and mood disorders.In this review article, we outline common pathological mechanisms of substance use disorders (SUD) and unipolar depression. Next, the current literature on the effects of psychedelics is summarized in order to generate hypotheses regarding their potential therapeutic mechanisms of action in treating these psychiatric conditions. Finally, we review and discuss clinical trials published since 2011 investigating the effects of psychedelics in SUD and depression.While results from those modern clinical trials are promising, most of them do not meet the methodological requirements to allow firm conclusions on the clinical efficacy of psychedelics. Larger, blinded, randomized controlled trials (RCT) with clearly defined patient groups and well-defined primary endpoints are needed. Additionally, the therapeutic mechanisms of classical psychedelics are currently unknown. This review presents hypotheses derived from preclinical and human studies that need to be tested in future trials to better understand the clinical potential of psychedelic substances in modern psychiatry.

show abstract

Section: Changes In Neuropsychological Functions and Functional Networkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Changes In Neuropsychological Functions and Functional Networkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Classical Psychedelics as Therapeutics in Psychiatry – Current Clinical Evidence and Potential Therapeutic Mechanisms in Substance Use and Mood Disorders

Mertens

Preller

2021

Pharmacopsychiatry

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…While psychedelic agents have long been used in traditional communal settings for rites of healing and prayer, and while psychedelics were administered with adjunctive group therapy to hundreds of participants prior to federal drug scheduling, [24] no modern clinical trials have investigated the safety or feasibility specifically of psilocybin-assisted group therapy. Yet mid-century [25] and modern [ [26] , [27] , [28] ] research on psychedelics emphasizes that an important therapeutic mechanism may be the enhanced capacity for interpersonal connection that patients can experience for days after drug administration. Indeed, the optimal method for delivering psilocybin therapy remains an open question.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psilocybin-assisted group therapy for demoralized older long-term AIDS survivor men: An open-label safety and feasibility pilot study

Danforth²,

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Psilocybin therapy has shown promise as a rapid-acting treatment for depression, anxiety, and demoralization in patients with serious medical illness (e.g., cancer) when paired with individual psychotherapy. This study assessed the safety and feasibility of psilocybin-assisted group therapy for demoralization in older long-term AIDS survivor (OLTAS) men, a population with a high degree of demoralization and traumatic loss. Methods Self-identified gay men OLTAS with moderate-to-severe demoralization (Demoralization Scale-II ≥8) were recruited from the community of a major US city for a single-site open-label study of psilocybin-assisted group therapy comprising 8–10 group therapy visits and one psilocybin administration visit (0·3–0·36 mg/kg po). Primary outcomes were rate and severity of adverse events, and participant recruitment and retention. The primary clinical outcome was change in mean demoralization from baseline to end-of-treatment and to 3-month follow-up assessed with a two-way repeated measures ANOVA. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02950467) Findings From 17 July 2017 to 16 January 2019, 18 participants (mean age 59·2 years (SD 4·4)) were enrolled, administered group therapy and psilocybin, and included in intent-to-treat analyses. We detected zero serious adverse reactions and two unexpected adverse reactions to psilocybin; seven participants experienced self-limited, severe expected adverse reactions. We detected a clinically meaningful change in demoralization from baseline to 3-month follow-up (mean difference -5·78 [SD 6·01], η p 2 = 0·47, 90% CI 0·21–0·60). Interpretation We demonstrated the feasibility, relative safety, and potential efficacy of psilocybin-assisted group therapy for demoralization in OLTAS. Groups may be an effective and efficient means of delivering psychotherapy pre- and post-psilocybin to patients with complex medical and psychiatric needs. Funding Carey Turnbull, Heffter Research Institute, NIMH R25 MH060482, NIH UL1 TR001872, River Styx Foundation, Saisei Foundation, Sarlo Foundation, Stupski Foundation, Usona Institute, US Department of Veterans Affairs (Advanced Neurosciences Fellowship and IK2CX001495).

show abstract

“…To date, psychoactive phenethylamines represent the third largest group of NPS, after synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones, for a total of 99 molecules [ 6 , 7 ]. Also, some psychoactive phenethylamines were developed as potential drugs for psychiatric conditions [ 8 , 9 , 10 ], but they have not yet been put on the market due to their adverse effects or the lack of the desired therapeutic effects [ 11 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel Psychoactive Phenethylamines: Impact on Genetic Material

Cocchi

Gasperini

Hrelia

et al. 2020

IJMS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Psychedelic and stimulating phenethylamines belong to the family of new psychoactive substances (NPS). The acute toxicity framework has begun to be investigated, while studies showing genotoxic potential are very limited or not available. Therefore, in order to fill this gap, the aim of the present work was to evaluate the genotoxicity by treating TK6 cells with 2C-H, 2C-I, 2C-B, 25B-NBOMe, and the popular 3,4-Methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA). On the basis of cytotoxicity and cytostasis results, we selected the concentrations (6.25–35 µM) to be used in genotoxicity analysis. We used the micronucleus (MN) as indicator of genetic damage and analyzed the MNi frequency fold increase by an automated flow cytometric protocol. All substances, except MDMA, resulted genotoxic; therefore, we evaluated reactive oxygen species (ROS) induction as a possible mechanism at the basis of the demonstrated genotoxicity. The obtained results showed a statistically significant increase in ROS levels for all genotoxic phenethylamines confirming this hypothesis. Our results highlight the importance of genotoxicity evaluation for a complete assessment of the risk associated also with NPS exposure. Indeed, the subjects who do not have hazardous behaviors or require hospitalization by using active but still “safe” doses could run into genotoxicity and in the well-known long-term effects associated.

show abstract

Modulation of Social Cognition via Hallucinogens and “Entactogens”

Cited by 42 publications

References 105 publications

Classical Psychedelics as Therapeutics in Psychiatry – Current Clinical Evidence and Potential Therapeutic Mechanisms in Substance Use and Mood Disorders

Classical Psychedelics as Therapeutics in Psychiatry – Current Clinical Evidence and Potential Therapeutic Mechanisms in Substance Use and Mood Disorders

Psilocybin-assisted group therapy for demoralized older long-term AIDS survivor men: An open-label safety and feasibility pilot study

Novel Psychoactive Phenethylamines: Impact on Genetic Material

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About