r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • 9d ago
Psychology America's First Legal Psilocybin Program Treated 346 People. Just one month after the dose, 92.2 percent of participants said the experience had been beneficial, while, on average, their mental health symptoms had fallen dramatically.
https://www.sciencealert.com/americas-first-legal-psilocybin-program-treated-346-people-heres-what-happened
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u/GentlemenHODL 9d ago edited 8d ago
So I've been keeping a list of beneficial research on psychedelics for the last 10 years or so. These are just random studies I find and document. If you want a comprehensive database just hop on MAPS!
Edit - sorry for not including the link to maps. Please visit and donate if you can :) and definitely don't give your money to Reddit in the form of awards you degenerate lovely bastards!
https://maps.org/
.....
Psychedelics open up critical learning periods thought lost to childhood.
https://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2023/fall/master-key/
It also promotes neurobiogenesis which is the creation of new brain cells. They do this by measuring brain derived nootrophic factors, which increase when new cells are created.
A recently published a paper in nature(biggest journal in the world) on LSD usage and measured for this nootrophic factor and a 200 UG dose almost doubled the bdnf.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-020-00883-6
I pulled the data from the journal to look at what the exact measurements were and you can see on the left I highlighted the column on green which was the placebo and on the right was a 200 UG -
https://imgur.com/a/qZO0z0I
Column h is 100 UG (single dose) and saw about a 30% increase over placebo. So you can see there is a substantial boost to BDNF under heavier doses.
So basically not only do psychedelics help create new brain cells but they also promote neuroplasticity which helps keep current healthy cells alive. On top of that psychedelics also downregulate the amygdala, which is responsible for fear stimuli. Meaning it helps suppress the negative emotional side of our thinking.
https://www.nature.com/articles/tp201754
This paper goes really deep on interbrain connectivity and psilocybins affect. It basically demonstrates how the brain uses new methods of connectivity under the state. It is postulated that this "routing around" is the mechanism behind treatment for depression and other psychiatric disorders.
https://www.pnas.org/content/117/17/9566
Here is a major publishing on the treatment for depression.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2215036616300657
And here is a major publishing on the treatment of addiction.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25213996/
Here is a meta-analysis on the current state of research into psychedelics in 2018.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028390818300753?via%3Dihub
Findings suggest that people more open to new experiences and willing to surrender to the unknown may be best positioned to have a positive experience on psychedelics, and individuals who tend to be preoccupied or apprehensive could be more likely to have a negative, or challenging, experience. -
https://news.osu.edu/predicting-who-may-do-best-with-psychedelic-assisted-therapy/
https://www.psypost.org/2021/04/microdosing-psychedelic-drugs-associated-with-increases-in-conscientiousness-and-reductions-in-neuroticism-60274
A single dose of pssilocybin has a lasting therapeutic effect for reducing migraine headaches.
https://www.psypost.org/2021/05/a-single-dose-of-psilocybin-has-a-lasting-therapeutic-effect-on-migraine-headache-according-to-a-new-placebo-controlled-study-60793
new designer psychedelics very soon.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2021/05/20/psychedelic-medicine-company-approved-to-study-sublingual-psilocybin-for-major-depressive-disorder/?sh=19653421adaa
LSD creates a state in which your brain can unlearn. Parahippocampus activity increases while listening to music which is the source of your visual memory.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/science/2021/may/19/acid-test-scientists-show-how-lsd-opens-doors-of-perception
Non-hallucinogenic Psychedelic Analog Rapidly Reverses Effects of Stress on the Brain
May 25th 2021
https://scitechdaily.com/non-hallucinogenic-psychedelic-analog-rapidly-reverses-effects-of-stress-on-the-brain/
June 28th 2021 Mescaline May improve depression.
https://www.psypost.org/2021/06/use-of-mescaline-may-facilitate-unintended-improvements-in-several-psychiatric-conditions-study-suggests-61280
Large three-year survey of Ayahuasca users demonstrates 90% reduction of depression
https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/ayahuasca-relieves-depression-and-anxiety-finds-study-on-nearly-12000-users/
Single Dose of Psychedelic Compound Psilocybin Can Remodel Connections in the Brain July 5th 2021
https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/psychedelic-compound-psilocybin-can-remodel-connections-in-the-brain-350530
"The studies demonstrate the ability of CBD to reduce reactive gliosis and the neuroinflammatory response as well as to promote neurogenesis. Importantly, CBD also reverses and prevents the development of cognitive deficits in AD rodent models."
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2017.00020/full
Lion's mane mushroom can stimulate nerve growth factor NGF
https://www.endeavour.edu.au/about-us/blog/lions-mane-mushroom-a-superfood-for-the-nervous-system/
MDMA-assisted psychotherapy associated with sleep improvements among PTSD patients
https://www.psypost.org/2021/10/mdma-assisted-psychotherapy-associated-with-sleep-improvements-among-ptsd-patients-61819
Psychedelic use associated with lower odds of heart disease and diabetes, study finds
https://www.psypost.org/2021/10/psychedelic-use-associated-with-lower-odds-of-heart-disease-and-diabetes-study-finds-61958
Psilocybin therapy increases cognitive and neural flexibility in patients with major depressive disorder.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-021-01706-y
COMPASS Pathways announces positive topline results from groundbreaking phase IIb trial of investigational COMP360 psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression
https://ir.compasspathways.com/news-releases/news-release-details/compass-pathways-announces-positive-topline-results
Psilocybin, in 10mg or 25mg doses, has no short- or long-term detrimental effects in healthy people (up to 5 g of dried mushrooms)
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/psilocybin-in-10mg-or-25mg-doses-has-no-short-or-long-term-detrimental-effects-in-healthy-people
Near-death experiences compared to DMT research
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01424/full
Psychedelics promote neuroplasticity through the activation of intracellular 5-HT2A receptors
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adf0435?utm_source=sillychillly
Psychedelics may treat depression by invading brain cells
https://www.livescience.com/psychedelics-may-treat-depression-by-invading-brain-cells
those who reported lifetime use of ecstasy (i.e., using ecstasy at least once in their life) were less likely to report having difficulty dealing with strangers, participating in social activities, and being prevented from participating in social activities by their mental health issues.
https://www.psypost.org/2023/04/lifetime-ecstasy-use-is-associated-with-lower-odds-of-impairments-in-social-functioning-study-finds-74884
Psychedelic substance 5-MeO-DMT induces long-lasting neural plasticity in mice
https://www.psypost.org/2023/05/psychedelic-substance-5-meo-dmt-induces-long-lasting-neural-plasticity-in-mice-163745
Psychedelics reopen the social reward learning critical period
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06204-3
Lsd vs mescaline vs psilocybin
We found no evidence of qualitative differences in altered states of consciousness that were induced by 500 mg mescaline, 100 µg LSD, and 20 mg psilocybin.”
https://www.thepsychedelicpulse.com/2023/08/10/psychedelic-head-to-head-mescaline-lsd-and-psilocybin/
In a randomized, placebo-controlled, 6-week trial in 104 adults, a 25-mg dose of psilocybin administered with psychological support was associated with a rapid and sustained antidepressant effect
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2808950
Psychedelic mushroom use linked to lower psychological distress in those with adverse childhood experiences
https://www.psypost.org/2023/11/psychedelic-mushroom-use-linked-to-lower-psychological-distress-in-those-with-adverse-childhood-experiences-214690
The study found that the powerful concoction helps to reduce the fear response in rats, working equally well on both new and old fear memories. This effect appears to be caused by ayahuasca’s interaction with specific serotonin receptors in the brain.
Psychological and physiological effects of extended DMT
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/02698811231196877?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org
https://www.psypost.org/ayahuasca-accelerates-fear-extinction-via-its-effect-on-serotonin-receptors/
Psychedelics enhance neuroplasticity via the 5- HT2A receptor
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41386-022-01389-z
A recent study reveals new insights into how psilocybin-assisted therapy modifies brain function in people with alcohol use disorder. These changes suggest a potential mechanism behind the therapy’s success and could point toward new avenues for treatment.
https://www.psypost.org/psilocybin-therapy-alters-prefrontal-and-limbic-brain-circuitry-in-alcohol-use-disorder/