Science

Psilocybin induces acute and persisting alterations in immune status and the stress response in healthy volunteers

January 10, 2023By

Patients characterized by stress-related disorders such as depression display elevated circulating concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines and a hyperactive HPA axis. Psychedelics are demonstrating promising results in treatment of such disorders… Psilocybin immediately reduced concentrations of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), while other inflammatory markers (interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and C-reactive protein (CRP)) remained…

READ MORE
Science

The rebirth of psychedelic…

January 10, 2023By

From what researchers have seen so far, however, there has not been compelling evidence that these drugs can work without the holistic process of preparation, “trip” and integration. …many researchers are excited to get their hands on a new set of tools to help treat mental disorders that have long resisted conventional forms of treatment……

READ MORE
Science

Do different psilocybe mushrooms produce different effects…

December 12, 2022By

…the idea that certain mushroom species/strains/cultivars might elicit distinct types of experience isn’t entirely unreasonable, since a handful of different potentially psychoactive tryptophan-derived tryptamines have been detected in Psilocybe and related mushroom genera… given that different species possess different alkaloid fingerprints, is it plausible that different mushrooms might reliably produce distinct psychedelic effects… Variations in precursors and activity of…

READ MORE
Science

Magic mushroom… ameliorates some cognitive deficits in autistic…

December 12, 2022By

Microdoses of psilocybin… have been found to normalize certain elements of cognitive performance in young rats with autism. And while it’s far too early to say if the drug produces the same benefits in humans with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the fact that larger doses of psilocybin were less effective in rats does at least lend some credibility…

READ MORE
Science

What has the psilocybin renaissance taught us?

December 9, 2022By

The Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances assigned a safety score to psilocybin far better than aspirin. This score is based on toxicity along with effects of public health. Despite common minor side effects, it does not appear to be a direct health risk… wait a second and read the fine print – it…

READ MORE
Science

Then… ate magic mushrooms

December 1, 2022By

This might explain what happened… the psilocybin reawakened the dormant neural pathway from his hamstring to his brain… just one study has ever evaluated the connection between psychedelics and spinal-cord injury. Psilocybin is thought to be effective at promoting healing because it stimulates neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to change and adapt through new neural connections,…

READ MORE
Science

The harms of psychedelics need to be put into context

November 9, 2022By

The rising popularity of these drugs has changed people’s baseline perceptions of them, which in turn can raise expectations going into a trial. A psychedelic trip can be a challenging, even harrowing, experience, often with therapeutically positive outcomes – but sometimes with negative ones. That shouldn’t put the brakes on psychedelic research. But it does…

READ MORE
Science

…big pharma… psychedelics

November 9, 2022By

…the increasing interest that mainstream biotech firms are developing for psychedelic compounds. While about 100 clinical trials focused on psychedelic compounds are chugging along in the regulatory pathway to examine the potential the drugs have to treat illnesses like depression and alcoholism, Big Pharma has largely taken a back seat in the growing industry, holding…

READ MORE
Science

Alcohol deaths spiked… in 2020 and 2021, CDC study shows

November 4, 2022By

…research points to a need to look at steps to reduce alcohol consumption, including increasing alcohol taxes and enacting measures that limit where people can buy beer, wine and liquor. The study found that as many as 1 in 8 deaths among U.S. adults ages 20 to 64 were alcohol-related deaths… 52,000 such deaths last…

READ MORE
Science

Psychedelic users tend to have greater objective knowledge about climate change, study finds

November 3, 2022By

…the research team recruited 641 participants… published in Drug Science, Policy, and Law… …the results of these efforts found that those with a history of psilocybin, followed by LSD, scored highest in “nature relatedness” and knowledge of climate change… has made new inroads into understanding the relationship between taking psychedelics and feeling connected to nature… Original…

READ MORE