Review: Therapeutic Effects of Classic Serotonergic Psychedelics
The Centre for Psychedelic Research In London just made available days ago a review of multiple current clinical studies on the use of classic Psychedelics. As we see legalization of what many know...
Mike Robinson
4 min read
The Centre for Psychedelic Research In London just made available days ago a review of multiple current clinical studies on the use of classic Psychedelics. As we see legalization of what many know as "Magic Mushrooms" we see the rise of availability of Psilocybe Cubensis – a species of psychedelic mushroom whose principal active compounds are psilocybin and psilocin. There's countless anecdotal accounts in 2020 of how these natural spores that grow on Mother Earth are allowing people to find peace of mind through the pandemic.
Almost every aspect of our lives has come grinding and screeching to a halt in lockdown, leaving many of us questioning who we are, what we’re doing, and what kind of world we want to be doing it in. But the fungus among us allows the mind to open and for many an escape at a level that's natural and easier to handle than synthetic psychedelics. This review, however, goes into depth on study regarding all of the serotonergic psychedelics.
Researcher Ido Hartogsohn wrote in a 2016 paper published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, “psychedelics are deeply cultural drugs that interact intimately with the collective set and setting conditions of the society." Currently our setting is home and for many with Instagram accounts we can see the number of people who are 'taking a trip out to backyardia' while displaying their dose of mushrooms. It's became so acceptable it's the new normal for many. With cannabinoid medicine research expanding it's important to venture into other areas where plant medicine will become accessible – and with some psychedelics they already legally are.
2020 Oct 30. doi: 10.1111/acps.13249. Online ahead of print.
Therapeutic effects of classic serotonergic psychedelics: A systematic review of modern-era clinical studies
Kristoffer A A Andersen 1 2, Robin Carhart-Harris 1, David J Nutt 2, David Erritzoe 1 2
- PMID: 33125716
- DOI: 10.1111/acps.13249
Abstract
Objective: To conduct a systematic review of modern-era (post-millennium) clinical studies assessing the therapeutic effects of serotonergic psychedelics drugs for mental health conditions. Although the main focus was on efficacy and safety, study characteristics, duration of antidepressants effects across studies, and the role of the subjective drug experiences were also reviewed and presented.
Method: A systematic literature search (1st Jan 2000 to 1st May 2020) was conducted in Pubmed and Psychinfo for studies of patients undergoing treatment with a serotonergic psychedelic.
Results: Data from 16 papers, representing 10 independent psychedelic-assisted therapy trials (psilocybin=7, ayahuasca = 2, LSD=1) were extracted, presented in figures and tables, and narratively synthesized and discussed. Across these studies, a total of 188 patients suffering either anxiety and/or depressive symptoms associated with cancer (C-RPD), major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or substance use disorder (SUD) were included. The reviewed studies established feasibility and evidence of safety, alongside promising early data of efficacy in the treatment of depression, anxiety, OCD, and tobacco and alcohol use disorders. For a majority of patients, the therapeutic effects appeared to be long-lasting (weeks-months) after only 1 to 3 treatment session(s). All studies were conducted in line with guidelines for the safe conduct of psychedelic therapy and no severe adverse events were reported.
Conclusion: The resurrection of clinical psychedelic research provides early evidence for treatment efficacy and safety for a range of psychiatric conditions, and constitutes an exciting new treatment avenue in a health area with major unmet needs.
Keywords: 5HT; DMT; LSD; ayahuasca; psilocybin; psychedelic; serotonergic.
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–Mike Robinson, Founder – Global Cannabinoid Research Center / GCRC Publications
This article is educational commentary from GCRC. It is not a report of study findings and is not medical advice. Speak with a qualified healthcare professional about your own health.
