Psychopharmacology

Researchers found that MDMA reduces anxiety and enhances social behavior in zebrafish by altering key neurochemical systems. The drug suppressed serotonin signaling, boosted oxytocin receptor expression, and modulated brain signaling proteins involved in emotional regulation.

A nationwide Finnish study shows that children with ADHD stay on medication for over three years on average. Yet, controlled safety data for these medications in children exists for only one year, highlighting a gap in long-term evidence.

A new study suggests that regular users of psychedelics may process self-related thoughts differently at both psychological and brain levels, revealing altered patterns of brain activity during self-reflection compared to non-users who intend to try psychedelics.

Researchers found that a standardized extract of ashwagandha improved memory, attention, and spatial reasoning in adults with mild cognitive impairment, outperforming a placebo in a two-month clinical trial with no reported side effects.

A new study published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs suggests that while awe can be transformative during ayahuasca retreats, there’s a limit. Experiences marked by excessive vastness were linked to lower well-being, challenging assumptions about awe’s universal benefits.

Researchers have discovered that frequent cannabis users show reduced spontaneous brain activity in the motor cortex, and this neural suppression is tied to cannabis use severity and response speed, even though overall task performance remained comparable to non-users.

New research suggests that naturalistic psychedelic use may worsen psychotic and manic symptoms when used in illegal settings. People with schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder appeared especially vulnerable to these effects, highlighting the importance of context and psychiatric background.

A pilot study involving psilocybin-assisted therapy found possible antidepressant effects for people with bipolar II disorder. The treatment appeared well-tolerated, with no signs of mania or psychosis, offering cautious optimism for future bipolar depression research.

Early results from a pilot study indicate that psilocybin-assisted therapy could be linked to lower alcohol consumption and improved psychological outcomes, though larger controlled trials are needed to determine whether the psilocybin itself is responsible for these changes.

A new study using high-resolution EEG reveals that psilocybin dramatically alters brain connectivity in rats. The psychedelic induced dose-dependent changes in network organization, disrupting normal patterns of neural communication and suggesting rodents may be viable models for studying altered consciousness.

A new study suggests that people who feel fewer bodily sensations while intoxicated may be at higher risk for alcohol misuse. Using bodily maps and heartbeat tasks, researchers linked internal awareness to physiological effects and subjective feelings of intoxication.

A new study introduces JRT, a modified version of LSD that promotes brain cell growth without triggering hallucinations. Researchers say this non-hallucinogenic compound could offer safer treatment options for schizophrenia and related brain disorders where psychedelics are typically contraindicated.

Scientists have found that lemborexant not only increased restorative sleep in male mice but also reduced levels of toxic tau and brain inflammation. The findings suggest that targeting the brain’s orexin system may help slow Alzheimer’s progression.

A new study has found that people frequently described both relief from spiritual tension and the emergence of new spiritual struggles following psychedelic use.

A new study finds that individuals with treatment-resistant depression experienced similar improvements from psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy whether or not they had recently discontinued antidepressant medications.