- Psychedelic Journal Watch
- Posts
- Psychedelic Journal Watch
Psychedelic Journal Watch
Keeping health professionals abreast of the latest research in psychedelic medicine
I. Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) for Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD)
Inhaled DMT reduces depression symptoms and suicidality in people with treatment-resistant depression, according to the Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology.
In this open-label, dose-escalation study, 14 individuals with TRD received 15mg and then 60mg of inhaled DMT; depression symptoms were measured before and after drug administration.
On average, individual participants showed a 21-point reduction in depression symptoms on a 60-point scale and a significant decrease in suicidality; improvements were sustained 3 months after receiving the drug.
According to the authors, “vaporized DMT offers a non-invasive, time-efficient, and cost-effective alternative to other psychedelics and traditional antidepressants, supporting its role in interventional psychiatry and public health.”
II. Psilocybin Effects on Parkinson’s Disease (PD)
Psilocybin improves mood, motor, and cognitive symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease, according to the Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology.
In this open-label study, 12 individuals with moderate PD and depression/anxiety, received two doses of psilocybin in combination with psychotherapy; mood, motor, and cognitive symptoms were measured before and after drug administration.
There was significant improvement in depression and anxiety symptoms 3 months after receiving psilocybin. Motor and certain cognitive symptoms (Paired Associates Learning, Spatial Working Memory, and Probabilistic Reversal Learning) showed sustained improvement after 1 month.
According to the authors, “this study provides the first data on psilocybin’s effects in any neurodegenerative disease. Results suggest that psilocybin therapy in PD warrants further investigation.”
III. Neuroimmunological Effects of Psychedelics
Psychedelics may alter chronic stress responses and fear behavior by reducing monocyte accumulation in the brain's meninges, according to Nature.
Signals transmitted between immune cells and brain cells can change the makeup of our brains. In this study involving collection of genomic data and behavioral data, brain cells in the amygdala, called astrocytes, were shown to decrease stress-induced fear behavior by synthesizing a protein known as EGFR.
Under chronic stress, astrocytes produce lower levels of EGFR which leads to accumulation of immune cells, monocytes, in the meninges of the brain.
Psychedelic compounds can target this neuroimmunological stress response by reducing monocyte accumulation in the meninges and fear behavior.
According to the authors, “these data suggest that psychedelics can be used to target neuroimmune interactions relevant to neuropsychiatric disorders and potentially other inflammatory diseases.”
Brazilian chemist and microbiologist Oswaldo Gonçalves de Lima isolated DMT from the root bark of Mimosa tenuiflora in 1946.
If you enjoy our newsletter, please forward it to your friends!
This newsletter is curated and published by:
Haven’t subscribed yet? Subscribe now!
Reply