A new behavior change program using psilocybin.

Leary, Timothy; Metzner, Ralph; Madison, Presnell; Weil, Gunther; Ralph, Schwitzgebel; Sara, Kinne

doi:10.1037/h0088612

Cited by 19 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 21 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The active fraction was then chemically characterized, crystallized and called psilocybin [ 65 , 94 ]. Hofmann and colleagues subsequently elucidated the structure and synthesis of psilocybin in 1958 [ 5 , 94 , 95 , 96 ] and a minor component of the extract, psilocin, a dephosphorylated form of psilocybin [ 65 ]. In the 1960s, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) distributed Indocybin TM , a psychotherapeutic drug, in pill form, containing 2 mg psilocybin [ 65 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin

Toyang²,

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The psychedelic effects of some plants and fungi have been known and deliberately exploited by humans for thousands of years. Fungi, particularly mushrooms, are the principal source of naturally occurring psychedelics. The mushroom extract, psilocybin has historically been used as a psychedelic agent for religious and spiritual ceremonies, as well as a therapeutic option for neuropsychiatric conditions. Psychedelic use was largely associated with the “hippie” counterculture movement, which, in turn, resulted in a growing, and still lingering, negative stigmatization for psychedelics. As a result, in 1970, the U.S. government rescheduled psychedelics as Schedule 1 drugs, ultimately ending scientific research on psychedelics. This prohibition on psychedelic drug research significantly delayed advances in medical knowledge on the therapeutic uses of agents such as psilocybin. A 2004 pilot study from the University of California, Los Angeles, exploring the potential of psilocybin treatment in patients with advanced-stage cancer managed to reignite interest and significantly renewed efforts in psilocybin research, heralding a new age in exploration for psychedelic therapy. Since then, significant advances have been made in characterizing the chemical properties of psilocybin as well as its therapeutic uses. This review will explore the potential of psilocybin in the treatment of neuropsychiatry-related conditions, examining recent advances as well as current research. This is not a systematic review.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin

Toyang²,

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The first wave of rigorous psychedelic research began in 1938 when Albert Hoffman of Sandoz Laboratories synthesized the ergot-derivative LSD, studied as a psychiatric drug for the treatment of ‘neurosis’, alcoholism, criminal behavior, schizophrenia, autism and ‘sexual perversions.’[ 2 ] In 1957, Hofmann received a sample of dried Psilocybe mexicana mushrooms from a mycologist in Huautla de Jiménez in Oaxaca, Mexico, and subsequently elucidated the structure and synthesis of psilocybin and psilocin in 1958 [ 3 , 4 ]. In the 1960s, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) distributed psilocybin under the trade name Indocybin™ as a psychotherapeutic drug in pill form [ 3 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psilocybin in Palliative Care: An Update

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose of Review This review article summarizes clinically and socially relevant developments over the past five years in the therapeutic use of the classical tryptamine psychedelic substance psilocybin, with respect to the common challenges faced by palliative care patients and their care teams. Psilocybin is available in whole fungal and isolated forms but is not yet approved for therapeutic use in the United States. Using targeted database and gray literature searches, and author recall, key sources were identified, reviewed, and synthesized as to the safety and efficacy of psilocybin in palliative care. Recent Findings Life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses and faced by palliative care patients are comorbid with emotional and spiritual distress. Research and field reports reviewed suggest that psilocybin has significant and in some cases, sustained anxiolytic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory and entheogenic effects with a favorable safety profile. Limitations of the research include the risk for selection bias toward healthy, white, financially privileged individuals, and in general, follow-up timelines too short to appropriately evaluate durability of outcomes in psychospiritual benefits and quality of life. Summary While more research is needed for palliative care populations specifically, reasonable inferences can be made regarding the potential for benefit to palliative care patients from psilocybin’s demonstrated anxiolytic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory and entheogenic effects. However, major legal, ethical and financial barriers to access exist for the general population; obstacles which are likely worsened for geriatric and palliative care patients. Empiric treatment and large-scale controlled trials of psilocybin should be conducted to further investigate the findings of the smaller studies reviewed here across a variety of populations, for a greater understanding of therapeutic benefit and clinically relevant safety criteria, and to support thoughtful legalization and medical access.

show abstract

“…Abramson and Fremont-Smith (1967) discussed LSD’s utility in the treatment of alcoholism, which is often accompanied by depressive disorder. Psilocybin was also found to produce mind-altering states (e.g., Isbell, 1959; Wolbach et al, 1962) and thus facilitated psychotherapy (Leary et al, 1965; for the review, see Passie, 1997). Studies on psychedelics continued until their legal status changed in the 1970s and then were re-established in the 1990s (for the current review, see Nichols, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acute but not long-lasting antidepressant-like effect of psilocybin in differential reinforcement of low-rate 72 schedule in rats

Malikowska-Racia,

Koniewski,

Golebiowska

et al. 2023

J Psychopharmacol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: In clinical studies, psychedelics including psilocybin and D-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) demonstrate rapid and persistent antidepressant effects. Since the effective treatment with psychedelics is usually provided with psychotherapy, it is debatable whether their prolonged efficacy can be observed in infrahuman species. Preclinical reports on psychedelics’ effects most often address their acute actions, and different tests and models provide inconsistent results. The goal of this study was to examine whether the treatment with psilocybin and/or LSD would demonstrate immediate and/or sustained antidepressant-like effects in the differential reinforcement of low-rate responding (DRL) schedule in rats. In contrast to the antidepressant screening tools, the DRL 72s test is known to detect antidepressants with high predictive validity as it differentiates clinically effective antidepressants from other psychoactive drugs in non-stressed animals. Methods: Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were injected over three consecutive days with psilocybin (1 mg/kg), LSD (0.08 mg/kg), or saline and then tested in DRL 72s for the following 4 weeks. Results: Treatment with psilocybin but not LSD demonstrated an immediate antidepressant-like effect, manifested as an increased number of reinforced presses and response efficiency. By contrast, neither of the drugs showed a long-term (up to 4 weeks following administration) antidepressant-like effect. Conclusions: Using DRL 72s schedule of reinforcement, we demonstrated the acute antidepressant-like effect of psilocybin but not of LSD, and failed to detect their persistent antidepressant-like efficacy. The present study suggests that the detection of long-lasting antidepressant-like activity in rats could be challenging and may require entirely novel behavioral methods.

show abstract

A new behavior change program using psilocybin.

Cited by 19 publications

References 21 publications

The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin

The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin

Psilocybin in Palliative Care: An Update

Acute but not long-lasting antidepressant-like effect of psilocybin in differential reinforcement of low-rate 72 schedule in rats

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About