Receptor-Enriched Analysis of functional connectivity by targets (REACT) : A novel, multimodal analytical approach informed by PET to study the pharmacodynamic response of the brain under MDMA Ottavia Dipasquale, Pierluigi Selvaggi, Mattia Veronese, Anthony S. Gabay, Federico Turkheimer, Mitul A. Mehta NeuroImage, 2019, 195, 252–260 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.04.007 A B S T R A C T One of the main limitations of pharmacological fMRI is its inability to provide a molecular insight into the main effect of compounds, leaving an open question about the relationship between drug effects and haemodynamic response. The aim of this study is to investigate the acute effects of 3,4-methylene-dioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on functional [...]
Lire la suitePsilocybin exerts distinct effects on resting state networks 1 associated with serotonin and dopamine in mice Joanes Grandjean, David Buehlmann, Michaela Buerge, Hannes Sigrist, Erich Seifritz, Franz X. Vollenweider, Christopher R. Pryce, Markus Rudin Preprint · September 2019 Doi : 10.1101/751255 Abstract Hallucinogenic agents have been proposed as potent antidepressants; this includes the serotonin (5-HT) receptor 2A agonist psilocybin. In human subjects, psilocybin alters functional connectivity (FC) within the default-mode network (DMN), a constellation of inter-connected regions that is involved in self-reference and displays altered FC in depressive disorders. In this study we investigated the effects of psilocybin on FC in the analogue of the [...]
Lire la suiteThe Role of MDMA Neurotoxicity in Anxiety Casey R. Guillot, Mitchell E. Berman and Brenton R. Abadie In : Neurotoxicity Syndromes, Chapter I ISBN: 978-1-60021-797-5 Editor: Linda R. Webster, pp. 1 - 36 © 2007 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. Abstract The drug 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; Ecstasy) long has been considered a neurotoxin selective for serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) axons in rats and nonhuman primates. MDMA is also thought to have the potential to cause persistent serotonergic alterations in humans. Since the serotonin system is involved in the regulation of anxiety, researchers have proposed that recreational Ecstasy users may be at risk for the development of anxiety disorders and symptoms. [...]
Lire la suiteLe microdosage de substances psychédéliques : bref historique et nouveaux axes de recherche Vittorio Biancardi Revue CIRCE, 2019, 11, Résumé Le micro-dosage est un phénomène social de plus en plus répandu parmi la communauté des consommateurs et consommatrices des substances dites psychédéliques. Il consiste une consommation d’un dixième de la dose typique de substance (principalement LSD ou Psilocybine) de façon fréquente, deux ou trois fois par semaine, pour améliorer les capacités cognitives ou comme auto-thérapie. L’analyse de ce phénomène est actuellement très fragmentaire et inconsistante, tant du point de vue des sciences humaines que du point de vue des sciences dites «dures». L’objectif de [...]
Lire la suiteScientists mass-produce 'magic mushroom' active ingredient from bacteria The study shows that psilocybin can be produced in a sustainable manner. https://www.zmescience.com/medicine/scientists-mass-produce-magic-mushroom-active-ingredient-from-bacteria/ byTibi Puiu October 3, 2019 Psilocybin, the active psychoactive compound found in specific mushrooms, is a promising drug that can be used to treat depression, anxiety, addiction, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Looking towards the future, researchers at Miami University have used genetic engineering to coax harmless E. coli bacteria to produce psilocybin. Psilocybe semilanceata. Credit: Pixabay. The mushrooms that produce psilocybin, such as Psilocybe cubensis, are not particularly expensive or difficult to grow. However, they do take up a lot of space and require many [...]
Lire la suiteCannabinoids, Endocannabinoids and Cancer Daniel J. Hermanson and Lawrence J. Marnett Cancer Metastasis Reviews, 2011, 30, (3-4), 599–612. doi:10.1007/s10555-011-9318-8. 1. Introduction 1.1 Cannabinoid Function Endocannabinoids are bioactive lipids that have a range of interesting activities mediated by two G-protein-coupled receptors (CB1 and CB2) and other putative targets [1-3]. The CB1 receptor is present in the central nervous system and mediates the psychotropic effects of exogenous cannabinoids such as Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active component of marijuana. In the brain, endocannabinoids and cannabinoids combine with CB1 cannabinoid receptors on axon terminals and regulate ion channel activity and neurotransmitter release [4]. Binding to the CB1 receptor is responsible for [...]
Lire la suiteLegal highs : staying on top of the flood of novel psychoactive substances David Baumeister, Luis M. Tojo and Derek K. Tracy Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology, 2015, Vol. 5, (2), 97–132 DOI: 10.1177/2045125314559539 Abstract : There has been growing clinical, public, and media awareness and concern about the availability and potential harmfulness of so-called ‘legal highs’, which are more appropriately called new or novel psychoactive substances (NPS). A cat-and-mouse process has emerged wherein unknown chemists and laboratories are producing new, and as yet nonproscribed, compounds for human consumption; and as soon as they are banned, which they inevitably are, slightly modified analogues are produced to [...]
Lire la suitePsychedelics David E. Nichols Pharmacological Review, 2016, 68, 264–355 http://dx.doi.org/10.1124/pr.115.011478 Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .266 I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [...]
Lire la suiteCould Cannabidiol be a Treatment Option for Intractable Childhood and Adolescent Epilepsy ? Chung Mo Koo, Hoon-Chul Kang Journal of Epilepsy Research, 2017, 7, 16-20. pISSN 2233-6249 / eISSN 2233-6257 www.kes.or.kr Epilepsy is an important disease that affects brain function, particularly in those under 3 years old. Uncontrolled seizures can affect cognitive function and quality of life. For these reasons, many trials have been conducted to investigate treatments for pediatric epilepsy. Currently, many antiepileptic drugs are available for the treatment of epilepsy, but cases of intractable epilepsy continue to exist. In the past, cannabis has been tested as a potential treatment of intractable epilepsy. Since [...]
Lire la suiteDon’t Fear the Reefer—Evidence Mounts for Plant-Based Cannabidiol as Treatment for Epilepsy - Commentary M. Scott Perry Epilepsy Currents, 2019, Vol. 19, (2), 93-95 DOI: 10.1177/1535759719835671 Effect of Cannabidiol on Drop Seizures in the Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome Devinsky O, Patel AD, Cross JH, et al; GWPCARE3 Study Group. N Engl J Med, 2018, 378, 1888-1897. Background : Cannabidiol has been used for treatment-resistant seizures in patients with severe early-onset epilepsy. We investigated the efficacy and safety of cannabidiol added to a regimen of conventional antiepileptic medication to treat drop seizures in patients with the Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a severe developmental epileptic encephalopathy. Methods : In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted [...]
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