For around half a century the randomized controlled trial (RCT) has been considered the gold standard in evaluating the effectiveness of any new medical intervention…. …does not suggest we need to abandon RCTs for psychedelic research … at least not yet… he calls for more rigor and transparency in the ways psychedelic trials are designed…
In the final analyses we found that active microdosing increased the ratio of original responses (originality/fluency)… First, independent samples t-tests and chi-square tests were conducted on demographic data to see whether randomization to placebo and active condition was successful and groups were comparable before the start of the interventions. Next, the subjective effects of microdosing…
At least three companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges have been touting psychedelics for the treatment of mental health disorders even though psilocybin and other hallucinogenic substances are illegal under federal law. Governor [of Texas] on June 18 [2021] allowed a bill authorizing the study of psilocybin to become law without his signature. Connecticut Governor……
Can the [psychedelic, entheogenic,] hallucinogenic and medicinal components of mushrooms be analyzed and shared the same as cannabis? …potency tests have demonstrated that the active… compounds in magic mushrooms… vary widely across cultivars and species, and that measuring a dose by weight does not guarantee the same effect every time. Variations in growing and drying techniques, environment and…
Americans tend to drink in more dysfunctional ways than people in other societies… again and again, an era of overindulgence begets an era of renunciation: Binge, abstain. Binge, abstain… as Michael Sayette, a leading alcohol researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, recently told me, if you packaged alcohol as an anti-anxiety serum and submitted it…
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) regulates neuronal development and survival and triggers adaptive neuroplasticity… animal studies have reported that acute and chronic administration of various psychedelic compounds, including LSD, psilocybin, DMT, and other ayahuasca-derived alkaloids, can increase BDNF production and neurogenesis (the formation of new neurons). Importantly, threats to our well-being such as stress, ageing and…
Following a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group design, we demonstrated that psilocybin (0.17 mg/kg) induced a time- and construct-related differentiation of effects on creative thinking. Although usually opposing neural processes, the DMN and FPN have been found to interact during creative cognition, suggesting a dynamic shift between these networks facilitates the shift between idea generation and evaluation across…
In the study [University of Copenhagen]… examined brain tissue from pigs, the researchers first conducted tests to establish the proper dose to produce psychoactive effects in the animals. Pigs were used because their brains are anatomically similar the brains of humans. Immune-related genes constituted the largest group of genes impacted one week after psilocybin administration,…
New research from the University of Oxford found a link between use of psychedelics and a decreased risk of hypertension. The findings are published in the recent issue of the journal Hypertension. “These findings may prove valuable for understanding the physical health outcomes of classic psychedelic use, with rigorous randomized controlled trials warranted to investigate…
Supposedly, we are living through a “psychedelic renaissance.” Psychedelic science portrays itself as a vanguard revolutionizing mental health care, while remaining firmly focused on developing treatments defined within these same antiquated models. As psychedelic advocates and practitioners with decades of experience, having worked with thousands of people, we believe we need a serious examination of…
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