Psilocybine mindfulness training modulates self-consciousness and brain default mode network connectivity with lasting effects SMIGIELSKI Lukasz, SCHEIDEGGER Milan, KOMETER Michael, VOLLENWEIDER Franz X. NeuroImage, 2019, 196, 207-215 Doi : 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.04.009 A B S T R A C T Both psychedelics and meditation exert profound modulatory effects on consciousness, perception and cognition, but their combined, possibly synergistic effects on neurobiology are unknown. Accordingly, we conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with 38 participants following a single administration of the psychedelic psilocybin (315 μg/kg p.o.) during a 5-day mindfulness retreat. Brain dynamics were quantified directly pre- and post-intervention by functional magnetic resonance imaging during the resting state and [...]
Lire la suiteClinical potential of psilocybine as a treatment for mental health conditions Jeremy Daniel & Margaret Haberman Mental Health Clinician, 2017, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 24-28 https://doi.org/10.9740/mhc.2017.01.024 Abstract Psilocybin, a classic hallucinogen, is a chemical produced by more than 100 species of mushrooms worldwide. It has high affinity for several serotonin receptors, including 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, and 5-HT2C, located in numerous areas of the brain, including the cerebral cortex and thalamus. With legislation introduced in 1992, more work is being done to further understand the implications of psilocybin use in a number of disease states. Certain mental health disease states and symptoms have been studied, including [...]
Lire la suiteThe Therapeutic Potentials of Ayahuasca : Possible Effects against Various Diseases of Civilization Ede Frecska, Petra Bokor and Michael Winkelman Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2016, Vol 7, Article 35, 1-17. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2016.00035 Ayahuasca is an Amazonian psychoactive brew of two main components. Its active agents are b-carboline and tryptamine derivatives. As a sacrament, ayahuasca is still a central element of many healing ceremonies in the Amazon Basin and its ritual consumption has become common among the mestizo populations of South America. Ayahuasca use amongst the indigenous people of the Amazon is a form of traditional medicine and cultural psychiatry. During the last two decades, the [...]
Lire la suiteConsideration of Ayahuasca for the Treatment of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Jessica L. NIELSON, & Julie D. MEGLER MAPS Bulletin Annual Report, Winter 2012, 29-31. THERE IS A GROWING AMOUNT OF RESEARCH on the development of PTSD and its various treatments. The fact that many people who su!er from PTSD struggle with the currently approved therapeutic options that are available to them suggests that we need to start exploring alternative strategies to treat this disorder.1 With the large number of veterans returning home from war that may have or will develop PTSD, we must have a diverse framework of therapy and integration in place [...]
Lire la suiteA Psychotherapeutic View on the Therapeutic Effects of Ritual Ayahuasca Use in the Treatment of Addiction Anja LOIZAGA-VELDER MAPS Bulletin Special Edition, Spring 2013, 36-40. Ayahuasca is a traditional plant preparation of the Amazon basin with psychoactive properties. In recent decades ayahuasca has gained the attention of researchers in multiple disciplines worldwide due to its acclaimed therapeutic and spiritual qualities. It is an admixture of two plants : the harmaline containing vine Banisteriopsis caapi, and the DMT-containing leafs from the Psychotria viridis bush. It is typically administered by a trained expert in a ritual context. The use of ayahuasca has spread beyond the Amazon [...]
Lire la suiteAyahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Gerald Thomas, Philippe Lucas, N. Rielle Capler, Kenneth W. Tupper and Gina Martin Current Drug Abuse Reviews, 2013, 6, (1), 1-13. Abstract: Introduction : This paper reports results from a preliminary observational study of ayahuasca-assisted treatment for problematic substance use and stress delivered in a rural First Nations community in British Columbia, Canada. Methods : The “Working with Addiction and Stress” retreats combined four days of group counselling with two expert-led ayahuasca ceremonies. This study collected pre-treatment and six months follow-up data from 12 participants on several psychological and behavioral factors related to [...]
Lire la suiteMultiple receptors contribute to the behavioral effects of indoleamine hallucinogens Adam L. Halberstadt & Mark A. Geyer Neuropharmacology, 2011, 61, (3), 364–381. doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2011.01.017. Abstract Serotonergic hallucinogens produce profound changes in perception, mood, and cognition. These drugs include phenylalkylamines such as mescaline and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine (DOM), and indoleamines such as (+)-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin. Despite their differences in chemical structure, the two classes of hallucinogens produce remarkably similar subjective effects in humans, and induce cross-tolerance. The phenylalkylamine hallucinogens are selective 5-HT2 receptor agonists, whereas the indoleamines are relatively nonselective for serotonin (5-HT) receptors. There is extensive evidence, from both animal and human studies, that the [...]
Lire la suiteCase Series: Salvia divinorum as a Potential Addictive Hallucinogen Joseph El-Khoury, Evelyne Baroud The American Journal on Addictions, 2018, 27, 163–165 DOI: 10.1111/ajad.12715 Background and Objective : Recreational use of Salvia divinorum (salvia), a potent, naturally occurring hallucinogen, is on the rise internationally. Despite the paucity of information about its long term health effects, salvia is readily available and generally portrayed as a safe non-addictive substance. Methods and Results : We report on two patients who presented with an enduring and pervasive pattern of salvia use. Discussion and Conclusions : Evaluating patients for salvia use during clinical assessment is strongly encouraged, especially among young polysubstance users. Scientific [...]
Lire la suiteThe moderating effect of psychedelics on the prospective relationship between prescription opioid use and suicide risk among marginalized women Elena Argento, Melissa Braschel, Zach Walsh, M. Eugenia Socias and Kate Shannon Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2018, 1–7 DOI : 10.1177/0269881118798610 Abstract Background/aims : Given high rates of depression and suicide among marginalized women, and increasing calls to integrate trauma-informed biomedical and community-led structural interventions, this study longitudinally examines the potential moderating effect of psychedelic use on the relationship between other illicit drug use and suicide risk. Methods : Data (2010–2017) were drawn from a community-based, prospective open cohort of marginalized women in Vancouver, Canada. Extended Cox regression [...]
Lire la suiteEpidemiology of adolescent Salvia divinorum use in Canada Cheryl L. Currie Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2012, 128, (1-2) DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2012.08.008 a b s t r a c t Background : Salvia divinorum is a potent, naturally occurring hallucinogen gaining popularity as a recreational drug in North America. To date, detailed epidemiologic information about the use of this substance among adolescents living outside the United States has been limited. This study provides information on the prevalence and correlates of Salvia divinorum use among adolesecents in Canada using a nationally representative sample. Methods : Data were obtained from a representative sample of 42,179 Canadian adolescents aged 12–17 years living [...]
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