Psychopharmacology

Childhood trauma leaves a physical mark on the brain's structure, but heavy drinking might hide the evidence. A new brain imaging study reveals how alcohol use disorder can overwrite the subtle neurodevelopmental scars left by early life abuse and neglect.

A single dose of psilocybin eased depression within days in a small Swedish trial, outperforming an active placebo for more than three months on patients’ self-ratings. By one year, however, the placebo group had largely caught up.

Medications like liraglutide help treat diabetes and obesity, but they also cause water loss. A new study reveals how these drugs directly lower levels of a key water-conserving hormone, altering chemical signals from the brain to the kidneys.

Most psychedelic research has drawn well-off participants. In a first-of-its-kind Oregon study, 19 low-income adults with depression completed group psilocybin therapy, and their average depression scores fell by more than half.

A small pilot study found that a high dose of psilocybin strengthened an illusion in which a striped pattern looks fainter inside a bold ring. Low doses of LSD did not do the same, though participants still reported subtle changes...

Psilocybin, LSD, and 2C-B all act on the same serotonin receptor, so they are often treated as a single drug class. But brain scans in rats suggest each one shifts the brain’s energy use in its own way, both right...

Using genetic test results to guide antidepressant prescriptions did not improve depression symptoms after 3 months in a large clinical trial. But by 6 months, more patients in the gene-guided group had reached remission.

Ketamine and psychedelics relieve severe depression in hours, but their exact mechanisms remain elusive. New research suggests these rapid-acting drugs share a biological pathway, fighting depression by rebalancing specific immune system signals in the brain and body.

The more disordered a person’s brain activity became during their first psilocybin trip, the more their well-being tended to improve a month later, according to a small, exploratory study of healthy volunteers.

Adults with ADHD often struggle with choices that carry negative consequences. A new experiment reveals that stimulant medication improves decision-making by helping the brain process the potential costs of an action more efficiently.

Taking psychedelics on the Fourth of July is linked to decreased support for partisan violence, while using them during political conventions shows the opposite effect. A new study suggests the broader cultural mood heavily influences a psychedelic experience.

In a small psilocybin trial for alcohol use disorder, people who stayed alcohol-free three months later tended to describe an inner dialogue during their session, while those who returned to drinking talked more about sensations and visions.

Virtual reality headsets might offer a reliable way to induce profound feelings of unity and awe typically associated with deep spiritual practices or psychedelics, providing researchers with a new tool to study human consciousness.

New research indicates that adolescents who begin using cannabis may experience slower cognitive development than their non-using peers. While future users often start with slightly higher cognitive scores in late childhood, their rate of mental improvement falls behind.

Up to one in five Lyme patients keep experiencing symptoms after antibiotics. A new pilot study suggests psilocybin-assisted therapy might help, with symptom burden 40% lower six months later, though larger controlled trials are needed.