Hallucinogens in Mental Health: Preclinical and Clinical Studies on LSD, Psilocybin, MDMA, and Ketamine.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to review the potential therapeutic properties of LSD and other hallucinogens in treating psychiatric disorders, focusing on their pharmacology and behavioral effects.
Results Summary
The study highlights emerging evidence supporting LSD's potential therapeutic benefits, particularly in modulating functional brain connectivity and treating mental diseases, alongside other hallucinogens like psilocybin and MDMA.
Population
Not specified (review of preclinical and clinical studies involving animals and humans).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ketamine | decrease | treatment of depression | - | - | confirmed the efficacy | #1 |
psilocybin | neutral | - | - | - | potential therapeutic properties | #2 |
LSD | neutral | - | - | - | potential therapeutic properties | #3 |
psilocybin | neutral | functional brain connectivity | - | - | ability to modulate | #4 |
LSD | neutral | functional brain connectivity | - | - | ability to modulate | #5 |
MDMA | decrease | post-traumatic stress disorders | - | - | demonstrated to be useful to treat | #6 |
A revamped interest in the study of hallucinogens has recently emerged, especially with regard to their potential application in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. In the last decade, a plethora of preclinical and clinical studies have confirmed the efficacy of ketamine in the treatment of depression. More recently, emerging evidence has pointed out the potential therapeutic properties of psilocybin and LSD, as well as their ability to modulate functional brain connectivity. Moreover, MDMA, a compound belonging to the family of entactogens, has been demonstrated to be useful to treat post-traumatic stress disorders. In this review, the pharmacology of hallucinogenic compounds is summarized by underscoring the differences between psychedelic and nonpsychedelic hallucinogens as well as entactogens, and their behavioral effects in both animals and humans are described. Together, these data substantiate the potentials of these compounds in treating mental diseases.