The Bloom #168 Free Edition second pass

What happens when psychedelics become an approved medicine?

That is the question researchers investigated in Australia, where psilocybin and MDMA have been prescribed since mid-last year. The short answer, not much. High costs for patients and lack of therapists willing to prescribe (or who have received training) mean only a handful of patients have received the therapy. Still, more psychiatrists are being trained, and data from down under will be valuable for when this novel therapy becomes available in other regions around the world.

The two other featured studies look at the impact of psilocybin and DMT, respectively. The first study finds reductions in depression in frontline care workers (during covid). The second study tests continous infusion of DMT and reports drug absorption, distribution, and elimination in healthy subjects.

More research that was added to the database covers a variety of reviews and re-analyses of earlier trials. They investigate the impact of psychedelics on empathy, personality, and the role of the acute experience in therapeutic effects.

Floris - Founder of Blossom

ps I'm writing a report on 'Reimbursement Pathways for Psychedelic Therapies in Europe'. If you have insights to share around this topic, please hit reply. Learn more about the project here.

Latest Psychedelic Research

1 Psilocybin Therapy for Clinicians With Symptoms of Depression From Frontline Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic​

This double-blind randomized trial (n=30) finds that psilocybin therapy significantly reduces symptoms of depression in clinicians after frontline work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psilocybin (25mg) showed greater reductions in depression (MADRS scores) and PTSD symptoms compared to the niacin control, though PTSD findings were not statistically significant.

2 Acute dose-dependent effects and self-guided titration of continuous N,N-dimethyltryptamine infusions in a double-blind placebo-controlled study in healthy participants​

This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study (n=22) investigates the dose-dependent effects and pharmacokinetics of continuous intravenous DMT infusions over 120 minutes. It finds dose-proportional pharmacokinetics, a rapid onset of subjective effects that plateaus at 30 minutes, and a ceiling effect for positive effects at 1.8 mg/min. Higher doses (2.4 mg/min) induce anxiety and ego dissolution. Moderate acute tolerance and successful self-titration for desired effects were observed.

3 The Australia story: Current status and future challenges for the clinical applications of psychedelics​

This review (2024) examines the recent approval by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and MDMA for PTSD, effective 1 July 2023. It highlights the campaign led by Mind Medicine Australia and supported by leading researchers and institutions, as well as implications for future approvals and psychedelic drug development pathways.

More Research

• ​Practical considerations in the establishment of psychedelic research programs​
• ​Synergistic, multi-level understanding of psychedelics: three systematic reviews and meta-analyses of their pharmacology, neuroimaging and phenomenology​
• ​Quality of reporting on psychological interventions in psychedelic treatments: a systematic review​
• ​Health Care Workers’ Attitudes Toward and Knowledge of the Clinical Application of Classic Psychedelics for People with Serious Illness: A Systematic Review​
• ​An investigation of acute Physiological and Psychological Moderators of Psychedelic-induced Personality Change among Healthy Volunteers​
• ​The role of the psychedelic experience in psilocybin treatment for treatment-resistant depression​
• ​Psilocybin increases emotional empathy in patients with major depression​

New on Blossom

1 Psychedelic Research Recap November 2024​

In November, psychedelic research spans from clinical applications to fundamental neuroscience. Studies provide new insights into how psilocybin, MDMA, and ketamine can affect mental health conditions such as depression, PTSD, OCD, and fibromyalgia. Researchers are also examining the safety profiles of substances like mescaline and 3-MMC.

Several studies examine the mechanisms behind psychedelics’ therapeutic effects, focusing on neuroplasticity and neuronal pathways. From exploring how psychedelics (don’t) influence brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels to understanding their impact on specific pyramidal cells in the cortex, these findings shed light on how these substances may promote lasting psychological benefits.

The research this month places special emphasis on user experiences during psychedelic sessions and how they relate to therapeutic outcomes. Studies investigate major life changes following psychedelic use, strategies for navigating challenging experiences, and the effects of psychedelics on memory and self-related thought processes.

We also see important findings regarding safety and adverse effects, including reevaluations of the incidence of psychedelic-induced psychosis and new insights into MDMA-induced hyponatremia. Additionally, a cost-effectiveness analysis of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD suggests promising economic viability for these treatments.

2 Psychedelic Research Links 2024​

All the other papers that have come out this year that don't have a separate entry in the database.

Spotlight

no spotlight this week.

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