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psychopharmacology

This shows a woman with psychedelic images around her.

·May 16, 2023·5 min read

Harnessing Psychedelics for Mental Health

Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration has approved the prescription of MDMA and psilocybin by authorized psychiatrists for PTSD and treatment-resistant depression. This decision, a first worldwide, has sparked a debate among experts. While some hail it as a breakthrough for patients unresponsive to conventional therapies, others express concerns about its implementation.

This shows a head and brain made out of a mushroom.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 12, 2023·5 min read

Psychedelic Users’ Trust Puzzle: Untangling Information Sources

In the midst of a Psychedelic Renaissance, researchers examined where people using psychedelics obtain their information. The study reveals users typically consult diverse sources outside mainstream health and medical systems, with their own experiences being the most common source. They found that users trust information from scientific journals, psychedelic non-profits, and university researchers the most, while government agencies and pharmaceutical companies are the least trusted. This study could inform policy and public health strategies to bridge the information trust gap and promote safe psychedelic use.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 8, 2023·5 min read

New Antidepressant Reduces Stress and Depression With Low Side Effects

Scientists developed a potential anti-depressant drug that exhibits anti-stressing and anti-depressant effects with minimal side effects. The drug is KNT-127quickly acts on the patient without inducing resistance. Researchers found that KNT-127 administration during and after extreme psychological stress significantly improved social interaction and reduced inflammation in the hippocampus.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 4, 2023·5 min read

Reproductive Aging May Be Slowed by SSRI Antidepressants

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) commonly used to treat depression and anxiety can improve the quality of aging females' egg cells in roundworms and fruit flies. The study found that the exposure to SSRIs decreased embryonic death and chromosomal abnormalities in surviving offspring. The researchers said that these findings could lead to new opportunities to explore pharmacological interventions that could combat infertility issues in humans by improving egg quality and delaying the onset of reproductive aging.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 2, 2023·5 min read

Decoding the Molecular Mechanisms of Psilocybin Mushrooms’ Hallucinogenic Effects

A new study adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting psilocybin, a hallucinogenic compound found in certain mushroom species, could potentially revolutionize the treatment of depression and substance addiction. Researchers focused on the molecular interactions of psilocybin in the brain. The findings may help with designing new drugs that can treat a range of mental health disorders.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 2, 2023·6 min read

Harnessing Psilocybin to Treat PTSD

Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, can restore fear extinction and help treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study found that psilocybin promotes the growth of new neurons and synapses in the hippocampus, a brain region involved in memory formation, and was found to reverse the decline in proteins associated with neuroplasticity and fear extinction. The findings provide a promising potential for using psilocybin in the treatment of PTSD.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 28, 2023·5 min read

Insomnia Drug Belsomra May Help Treat Opioid Addiction

A preclinical study found that suvorexant (Belsomra), an insomnia drug, could be a potential treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) in rats. If the results are replicated in humans, the drug could offer a promising treatment for the millions of people with OUD and reduce drug intake and block relapse.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 27, 2023·5 min read

Experts Call for Creative Regulations and Collaboration for Psychedelics in Mental Health Treatment

Experts in bioethics, law and policy from top universities in the US call for creative and collaborative policies to regulate the use and oversight of psychedelics for treating conditions like depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. In a paper published in the journal Science, the authors propose solutions to regulatory challenges in anticipation of FDA approval of psychedelics for medical use, while stressing the need for a strong evidence base for efficacy and safety.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 25, 2023·3 min read

Enlightening Study Explores the Neurobiology of Psychedelics

Researchers studied the brain activity of healthy participants under the influence of nitrous oxide, comparing it to data from studies with ketamine and LSD to see whether the neurobiology of the psychedelic experience was similar. They found that the patterns of activity associated with the different substances overlapped, indicating common underlying biology, which could inform future research on the therapeutic use of psychedelics.

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Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·April 7, 2023·6 min read

New Genetic Finding Provides Clue for Personalizing Depression Treatment

The NPAS4 gene may play a critical role in linking long-term stress to depression and depressive behaviors. The findings may lead to new, targeted treatments for depression as a result of chronic stress.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 5, 2023·3 min read

How Prozac Increases Brain Plasticity

Fluoxetine (Prozac), a common antidepressant, was found to enhance the erasure of learned fear responses and facilitate spatial pattern learning in mice. The study also found the TrkB receptor in PV+ interneurons plays a crucial role in these effects, which may offer new possibilities for the development of psychiatric treatments targeting brain plasticity.