Frontier mental health research: psychedelics & drug studies

Each month our editorial team sifts through hundreds of papers and curates notable findings—for practitioners and informed readers who want to stay current with the evidence. Subscribe to the monthly Research Digest for expert analysis and concise summaries of key papers.

3 papers

Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial

Roland R. Griffiths, Matthew W. Johnson, Michael A. Carducci, Annie Umbricht, William A. Richards, Brian D. Richards, et al.
Journal of Psychopharmacology Summary & key facts 2016 2,068 citations

This randomized, double‑blind, cross‑over trial gave 51 patients with life‑threatening cancer two sessions of psilocybin (one very low dose and one high dose) spaced five weeks apart. The high dose (22–30 mg/70 kg) produced large drops in clinician‑ and self‑rated depression and anxiety, and increased quality of life, meaning, and…

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies Psychedelics and Drug Studies

Is microdosing a placebo? A rapid review of low-dose LSD and psilocybin research

Vince Polito, Paul Liknaitzky
Journal of Psychopharmacology Summary & key facts 2024 14 citations

Researchers reviewed 19 placebo-controlled studies that tested low doses of LSD or psilocybin (this is called microdosing). The studies found measurable changes in brain biology, body responses, how people felt, and how they thought, compared with placebo. But the studies are few and small, often tested only tiny doses in…

Chemical synthesis and alkaloids Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies Psychedelics and Drug Studies LSD Psilocybin

Ketamine for treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder: Double-blind active-controlled crossover study

Ben Beaglehole, Paul Glue, Shona Neehoff, Shabah M. Shadli, Neil McNaughton, Bridget Kimber, et al.
Journal of Psychopharmacology Summary & key facts 2024 8 citations

We provide further preliminary evidence for the efficacy and tolerability of IM ketamine in an outpatient cohort of OCD. Additional work is required to establish the optimal dosing regimen and longer-term role of ketamine for OCD. These findings are encouraging given the well-known limitations that exist for treatments in this…

Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders Treatment of Major Depression
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