It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Psychedelics have been used in indigenous cultures for centuries, with empirical evidence of their mood and perception altering effects. Recently, there has been a renewal of interest in psychedelics given putative therapeutic effects in psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression. However, it has remained a mystery as to how psychedelics actually bring about changes in mood-related behavior. A team of researchers led by Prof. Vidita Vaidya from TIFR Mumbai, in collaboration with research groups from Cornell, Columbia and Yale University mapped the precise part of the brain, and the specific class of neurons within this brain region, that drives the decrease in anxiety caused by acute treatment with the psychedelic DOI.
The psychedelic DOI when administered to rats or mice systemically, decreases anxiety behavior on approach-avoidance behavioral tasks, such as the elevated plus maze and open field test. To precisely pinpoint the part of the brain that responds to DOI and drives this decrease in anxiety behavior, local infusions of the drug into targeted brain regions uncovered a critical role of the ventral hippocampus in mediating this effect of the psychedelic DOI. Further, the study uncovered that the psychedelic DOI targets the serotonin2A receptor in the ventral hippocampus to exert its effects on anxiety. At the same time, the team also ruled out contributions from other brain regions including the prefrontal cortex and amygdala. What was striking is that the ventral hippocampus while vital for the decrease in anxiety evoked by DOI, did not contribute to hallucinations, highlighting that psychedelics target different parts of the brain to drive many behavioral changes.
Electrophysiological studies revealed that the psychedelic DOI increased the firing of parvalbumin-positive, fast-spiking, interneurons in the ventral hippocampus, which express the serotonin2A receptor. This identified the potential cellular trigger through which the psychedelic DOI may reduce anxiety behavior. To behaviorally test this, chemogenetic strategies were used to activate this particular subclass of neurons within the ventral hippocampus in the absence of the psychedelic DOI, which was sufficient to decrease anxiety behavior in animal models. Further, using a genetic knockout mouse model that lacked any serotonin2A receptor in the brain and body, selective restoration of the serotonin2A receptor on parvalbumin neurons was sufficient to reinstate the decline in anxiety that was seen on treatment with the psychedelic DOI in the ventral hippocampus. Together, using genetic, pharmacological, electrophysiological and behavioral studies, the team identified parvalbumin-positive, fast-spiking, interneurons in the ventral hippocampus as the cellular trigger through which the psychedelic DOI can reduce anxiety.
This provides the first evidence of a clear mapping of the precise neuronal population and brain region targeted by a psychedelic to influence anxiety behavior. Since it also demonstrated that this brain circuit does not evoke altered perception and hallucinations, it opens up the intriguing possibility of using psychedelic-inspired drugs that have therapeutic potential for the treatment of anxiety disorders, whilst not exerting potent hallucinatory effects.
Ventral hippocampal parvalbumin interneurons gate the acute anxiolytic action of the serotonergic psychedelic DOI
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Psychedelic drug psilocybin changes brain connectivity to treat body dysmorphic disorder
Columbia University researchers uncover how a single dose of "magic mushrooms" changes brain connectivity to alleviate symptoms of the devastating mental illness
Genomic Press
image:
Whole brain multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) reveals that seed brain regions including the thalamus [8 -6 8] (yellow), insula [-42 8 -6] (green), inferior parietal lobe (IPL) [-54 -38 38] (red), and ACC [16 34 24] (blue) predicted symptomatic improvement of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) at one week following a single dose of psilocybin. Using these clusters as seed regions, no further regions were identified.
New York, NY - Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a debilitating mental illness characterized by an obsessive preoccupation with perceived flaws in one's physical appearance. Patients with BDD often have distorted self-image, intrusive thoughts, and compulsive behaviors that significantly impair daily functioning and quality of life. Current therapies have limited efficacy, leaving many sufferers without relief.
A new study led by researchers at Columbia University and published in Psychedelics (Genomic Press, New York, USA) provides hope by revealing how the psychedelic drug psilocybin, the active ingredient in "magic mushrooms," may rewirechange connectivity of brain circuitry, potentially aiding in the treatment of this debilitating disorder.
In the pilot trial, eight adults with moderate-to-severe BDD that had not responded to standard treatments received a single 25mg oral dose of psilocybin in a supportive setting. Using cutting-edge functional MRI technology, the scientists scanned the participants' brains one day before and one day after the psilocybin session. Sophisticated pattern analysis techniques were then applied to map changes in brain network connectivity and link them to subsequent clinical outcomes.
The results were striking: Just one day after psilocybin administration, the patients exhibited increased connectivity both within a network governing executive functions, and between this network and others involved in processing emotionally salient stimuli and self-referential thinking. Notably, those who showed the greatest strengthening of these neural connections also experienced the most improvement in BDD symptoms one week later.
While preliminary, the findings align with a growing body of evidence indicating that psychedelic compounds like psilocybin can promote mental health by enhancing the brain's capacity for flexibility and integration. By facilitating communication within and between brain networks that are often dysregulated in psychiatric disorders, psilocybin may help restore more adaptive cognitive and emotional functioning.
As the first study of psilocybin in a BDD population, the trial was small and lacked a placebo control. The researchers caution that larger, placebo-controlled studies are needed to verify the efficacy and durability of the treatment. Still, the robust brain-behavior relationships uncovered bode well for the ongoing development of psilocybin therapy.
The peer-reviewed study, "Single-Dose Psilocybin Alters Resting State Functional Networks in Patients with Body Dysmorphic Disorder," will be published on September 24, 2024, in Psychedelics. It is freely available online at https://pp.genomicpress.com/aop/.
About Psychedelics – Psychedelics: The Journal of Psychedelic Pharmacology (ISSN: 2997-2671) is a peer-reviewed journal published by Genomic Press, New York. The journal is exclusively dedicated to the latest advancements in the realm of psychedelic substances and their potential therapeutic uses. Psychedelics embraces the full spectrum of research, from fundamental investigations to cutting-edge clinical studies and welcomes diverse perspectives and contributions, advancing the understanding of psychedelic compounds.
Contact: Chen Zhang, Columbia University: Chen.Zhang@nyspi.columbia.edu
Method of Research
Experimental study
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
Single-Dose Psilocybin Alters Resting State Functional Networks in Patients with Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Article Publication Date
24-Sep-2024
COI Statement
Dr. Schneier has received research support from Compass Pathways, Otsuka, Vistagen, and NIMH, royalties from UptoDate, Cambridge University Press, and Guilford Press, and served as consultant to Receptor Life and PureTech. Dr. Hellerstein has received research support from Compass Pathways, Relmada, Intracellular Therapies, Beckley Foundation, serves on the scientific advisory board for Reset Pharmaceuticals and has received royalties from Johns Hopkins University Press and Columbia University Press. Dr. Feusner receives research support from the NIMH, NIBIB, and the Klarman Family Foundation and serves as a consultant to NOCD, Inc. Drs. Wheaton, Zhu, and Ms. Chen and Ms. Gomez have no financial relationships to report. This research was supported by a grant from Compass Pathways PLC, United Kingdom. Compass supplied materials and participated in formulating the outline of the study but had no role in study selection or interpretation of the evidence.
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
Psilocybin may curb mental illness linked to eating disorders
By Dennis Thompson,
Sept. 24, 2024
HealthDay News Psilocybin could help people suffering from a mental health problem that can lead to eating disorders, a new study suggests. Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News
Psilocybin could help people suffering from a mental health problem that can lead to eating disorders, a new study suggests.
Psilocybin, the active chemical in "magic" mushrooms, significantly reduced symptoms in people with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), researchers reported Tuesday in the journal Psychedelics.
BDD causes an obsessive preoccupation with perceived flaws in one's physical appearance, and is frequently tied to eating disorders and other unhealthy behaviors, researchers said.
For this pilot trial, eight people with hard-to-treat BDD received a single 25-milligram dose of psilocybin.
Brain scans showed that the psilocybin treatment increased levels in connectivity between different brain regions related to emotional processing, cognitive activity and feelings and thoughts about oneself.
People who had the greatest strengthening in these connections experienced the most improvement in their BDD symptoms within a week, results show.
The findings "align with a growing body of evidence indicating that psychedelic compounds like psilocybin can promote mental health by enhancing the brain's capacity for flexibility and integration," concluded the research team led by Chen Zhang, a research assistant with the New York State Psychiatric Institute.
"By facilitating communication within and between brain networks that are often dysregulated in psychiatric disorders, psilocybin may help restore more adaptive cognitive and emotional functioning," the research team said in a journal news release. Advertisement
However, more studies in larger groups of people with BDD are needed to verify the effectiveness of the treatment and how long it will last, the researchers noted.
Study shows psychedelic drug psilocybin gives comparable long-term antidepressant effects to standard antidepressants, but may offer additional benefits
Psilocybin as good as SSRI for depression, but doesn’t lower sex drive, gives better sense of well-being and psychosocial functioning
European College of Neuropsychopharmacology
A direct comparison between the experimental psychedelic drug psilocybin and a standard SSRI antidepressant shows similar improvement of depressive symptoms, but that psilocybin offers additional longer-term benefits.
The comparison, between psilocybin (the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms”) and the SSRI escitalopram gave similar long-term improvements in depressive symptoms over a 6-month period, however patients taking psilocybin also reported better psychosocial functioning including experiencing a greater sense of meaning in life and psychological connectedness.
The work is presented for the first time at the ECNP Congress in Milan. A related paper will appear in the peer-reviewed journal Lancet eClinicalMedicine1 to coincide with the conference presentation (see details below). Lead researcher Mr Tommaso Barba (PhD candidate from Imperial College, London) said:
“This is the first work to compare the long-term effects of these two drugs in the context of overall well-being, not just freedom from depression. In previous work we had found that both treatments led to comparable improvements in alleviating symptoms of depression at the 6-week mark, such as sadness and negative emotions. However, this work shows that psilocybin outperformed escitalopram in several measures of well-being, meaning in life, work and social functioning. These results appeared to be maintained over a 6-month follow-up period. In addition, in previous work* we had found that psilocybin also improves sexual drive, in contrast to SSRIs which tend to lower libido in many patients. So overall it seems psilocybin might give additional positive mental health benefits.”
SSRI drugs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft, are one of the main types of drugs used to treat depression. However, around a third of patients don’t respond to SSRI treatment, so for them psilocybin may offer an alternative, although this was not studied in this trial.
Tommaso Barba continued:
“SSRIs work well, but not for everyone. They are also associated with some side effects. However this work implies that psilocybin generally seems to offer a real alternative, and perhaps additional benefits, to people who are worried about taking conventional antidepressants”.
The researchers, from Imperial College in London, undertook a 6-month study (phase 2, double-blind, randomised controlled trial) with 59 patients with moderate to severe depression. 30 were treated with a single dose of psilocybin, 29 patients were given a six-week course of escitalopram. Each group received similar psychological support of around 20 hours in total. Both groups showed significant improvement in depressive symptoms, even up to 6 months after treatment (the researchers stopped monitoring at 6 months). However those given psilocybin reported greater improvements in social functioning and psychological connectedness, with large effect sizes.
Co-first author Dr David Erritzoe, Clinical Director and Deputy Head of the Centre for Psychedelic Research, Imperial College, London, commented:
“This is important because improving connectedness and having greater meaning in life can significantly enhance a person's quality of life and long-term mental health. The study suggests that psilocybin therapy might be a more holistic treatment option for depression, addressing both the symptoms of depression and overall well-being. This could make a substantial difference in the overall happiness and daily activities of those suffering from depression, providing a more joined-up approach to mental health treatment”.
The researchers note that the patients were only treated for 6 weeks, and that many of the patients received additional treatments over the 6-month follow up.
Dr Erritzoe cautioned:
“Psilocybin is still an experimental drug; it has not yet been approved for general use. It is administered in highly controlled and protected environments: these precautions are not found in recreational psychedelic use, which is known for having unpredictable and potentially harmful effects, especially for vulnerable people struggling with mental health issues”.
Commenting, Johan Lundberg (Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at the
Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm) said:
“This report is an important attempt to compare the clinical value of psilocybin compared to a state-of-the-art treatment of major depressive disorder. The results come with several caveats, including the lack of a non-inferiority analysis and failure to report other interventions given during the follow-up period. That said, as a hypothesis generating piece it may benefit the field substantially. For now, we don’t know if psilocybin will be approved for the treatment of major depression, but if so, it won’t be for everyone. Some future patients might prefer psychedelic treatment over SSRI, but some patients may be intimidated by the dramatic alterations in perception and confrontations with challenging emotions that psychedelic drugs promote”.
This is an independent comment, Professor Lundberg was not involved in this work.
Notes:
Publication details: Effect of psilocybin versus escitalopram on depression symptom severity in patients with moderate-to-severe major depressive disorder: observational 6-month follow-up of a phase 2, double-blind, randomised, controlled trial. In press at Lancet eClinicalMedicine. Authors: David Erritzoe, Tommaso Barba, Kyle T. Greenway, Roberta Murphy, Jonny Martell, Bruna Giribaldi, Christopher Timmermann, Ashleigh Murphy-Beiner, Michelle Baker Jones, David Nutt, Brandon Weiss, and Robin Carhart-Harris. Paper reference 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102799
Mount Sinai Health System this week celebrated the opening of an expansion of its psychedelic psychotherapy research center into a new location and announced a foundational $5 million gift from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. The center has been renamed The Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing.
The new location is designed to support the Center's capacity to facilitate a growing number of rigorous clinical trials that focus on well-known compounds like MDMA, psilocybin, ketamine, and potentially others in the future. These chemical compounds have garnered significant attention in academic medicine for their potential to alleviate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and other stress-related conditions.
The Foundation’s gift, which comes at a pivotal time for the field, will expand the Center's capacity for therapy, research, and therapist training, including a primary focus on veterans.
Located at 600 West 112th Street, on the southwest corner of Broadway, the new space will house six treatment rooms and a group therapy room, with features to enable therapy supervision, teaching, and research. Large floor-to-ceiling windows provide natural light and a view of the surrounding tree-lined streets.
“Since its initial launch in 2021, our psychedelic psychotherapy research center has made progress towards our understanding of the therapeutic potential for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy,” said Rachel Yehuda, PhD, Director of The Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing. “The recent decision by the Food and Drug Administration to withhold approval for MDMA-assisted therapy has cast some uncertainty as to how and when psychedelic therapy will be broadly available, but has also made clear that there is a critical need to advance rigorous psychedelic research. Our team remains steadfast in our commitment to this work and to ensure the incredible momentum that has been generated by academic researchers does not falter.”
Dr. Yehuda went on to say, “This is an existential moment for the field of psychedelic research in mental health, and rather than backing away from investment, as some are doing, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation is shining a light on what has become a darker path forward. Thanks to their vision and commitment and the continued generosity of our donors, we will meet the needs of the moment.”
“My own battle with PTSD lasted for decades after I returned from the Vietnam War. It was psychedelic-assisted therapy that finally brought me home after all those years,” said Bob Parsons, United States Marine Corps Vietnam war veteran and co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. “Despite the FDA’s recent decision on MDMA, we’re digging in and funding more research because I have all the evidence I need—I know it works.”
The expansion of the Center reflects Mount Sinai’s commitment to providing institutional resources, strong scientific vision, and the established track record necessary to push forward with groundbreaking clinical trials. The gift from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation reflects an understanding by the Foundation that the moment demands serious and careful research and a deep commitment to uncovering effective treatments for veterans, who disproportionately experience conditions like PTSD that have been resistant to conventional therapies.
“The space was designed to embrace the importance of setting in therapeutic outcomes. From the moment our patients enter the beautifully designed Center, they will feel that they are in a place of safety and healing, which is paramount to maximizing the impact of the therapy sessions,” said Amy Lehrner, PhD, Clinical Director of The Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing. “The views of nature, natural light, and complementary design will communicate serenity and warmth, setting a new standard for applying this nascent science. While solutions for traumatized people have been few and far between until now, with the advances we have made through this new space and the highly trained practitioners within, we now see renewed hope and healing.”
The Center is currently developing protocols for several studies, including pivotal group therapy studies, which required the creation of a large group space. The Center's expanded capacity allows for multiple simultaneous dosing sessions and group integration sessions, essential for advancing this critical work.
Mount Sinai investigators affiliated with the Center will also be conducting research on ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and psilocybin for patients with major depression and for the treatment of intergenerational trauma, as well as MDMA-assisted therapy for patients with eating disorders. Almost all trials will examine the mechanism of action of psychedelics using the latest developments in neuroimaging, molecular neuroscience, and natural language processing. These initiatives underscore the Center's role as a leader in developing innovative and effective treatments for mental health conditions. The Center also plans to continue to expand its focus on training and education of mental health clinicians in the use of psychedelic-assisted therapies. The Center has provided training and education free of charge to 250 clinicians thanks to a prior $5 million gift from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation in 2021.
“We are hopeful that the cutting-edge research and training being done at Mount Sinai will go on to transform the lives of veterans, and others, suffering from debilitating mental health conditions,” said Renee Parsons, co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. “Bob and I know firsthand the detrimental impacts of PTSD—not only on the individual but their entire family. We remain committed to battling the stigma surrounding mental health and shining a light on promising treatments like psychedelic-assisted therapy.”
“New treatment options are desperately needed for the millions of people, both civilians and veterans, who suffer from mood and anxiety disorders like PTSD and major depression,” said Dennis S. Charney, the Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of Icahn Mount Sinai and President for Academic Affairs for the Mount Sinai Health System. “Mount Sinai researchers lead on the frontier of biomedicine, applying scientific rigor while also challenging clinical and scientific dogma to emerge as true innovators. Under Dr. Yehuda’s leadership and through the unwavering support of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, this new space enables us to propel our efforts with the speed, safety, and quality that will have a meaningful impact on the field of psychedelic psychotherapy and the patients we serve.”
About the Mount Sinai Health System Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with 48,000 employees working across eight hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, more than 600 research and clinical labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time—discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it.
Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients’ medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes approximately 9,000 primary and specialty care physicians and 11 free-standing joint-venture centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida. Hospitals within the System are consistently ranked by Newsweek’s® “The World’s Best Smart Hospitals, Best in State Hospitals, World Best Hospitals and Best Specialty Hospitals” and by U.S. News & World Report's® “Best Hospitals” and “Best Children’s Hospitals.” The Mount Sinai Hospital is on the U.S. News & World Report® “Best Hospitals” Honor Roll for 2024-2025. For more information, visithttps://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai onFacebook,Twitter andYouTube.
About The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers support to nonprofit organizations successfully working to empower, educate, nurture and nourish people during what is often the darkest time of their lives. Founded in 2012 by philanthropists and business leaders Bob and Renee Parsons to provide hope and life-changing assistance to the country’s most vulnerable populations, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers critical funding at critical times to those in need. The Foundation’s giving is driven by the core belief that all people – regardless of race, religion, roots, economic status, sexual orientation or gender identity – deserve access to quality healthcare, education and a safe place to call home. Follow @WeDealInHope on social media or visit TBRPF.org, to learn more about partner organizations and the important work being done in the community.
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Entrance to The Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing at Mount Sinai
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy treatment room within The Parsons Researh Center for Psychedelic Healing at Mount Sinai
Waiting Area within The Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing at Mount Sinai
Interior of The Parsons Research Center for Psychedlic Healing at Mount Sinai
Credit
Mount Sinai Health System
Friday, September 20, 2024
Millions of depressed Americans could benefit from psychedelic therapy, study finds
New analysis reveals over half of patients treated for depression may be eligible for psilocybin-assisted therapy if FDA-approved
Genomic Press
Atlanta, Georgia - In the wake of mounting evidence for the efficacy of psychedelic-assisted therapies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering approving psilocybin, the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms,” for treating depression in the near future. As this watershed moment approaches, a critical question arises: Just how many people might stand to benefit from this promising but still unproven therapy?
Shedding light on this high-stakes inquiry, a first-of-its-kind peer-reviewed study led by researchers at Emory University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and UC Berkeley, and that will be published in Psychedelics (ISSN: 2997-2671, Genomic Press, New York) on 24 September 2024 has generated initial estimates of the potential demand for psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression in the United States. By analyzing national survey data on depression prevalence and treatment in conjunction with the eligibility criteria from recent landmark clinical trials, the researchers determined that between 56% and 62% of patients currently receiving treatment for depression—amounting to a staggering 5.1 to 5.6 million individuals—could qualify for psilocybin therapy if approved.
“Our findings suggest that if the FDA gives the green light, psilocybin-assisted therapy has the potential to help millions of Americans who suffer from depression” said Syed Fayzan Rab, an Emory MD candidate and the study's lead author. “This underscores the importance of understanding the practical realities of rolling out this novel treatment on a large scale.”
To arrive at their projections, the researchers first determined that of the nearly 15 million American adults with depression, about 9 million receive treatment in a given year. They then evaluated this population against various eligibility criteria used in recent clinical trials of psilocybin for depression. Their analysis generated a range of estimates: a “lower-bound” of 24% of patients eligible if the strict criteria of initial trials were applied, a “mid-range” of 56% based on criteria likely to be used in real-world medical settings, and an “upper-bound” of 62% after accounting for patients with multiple exclusionary conditions.
Notably, nearly a third of the lower-bound to mid-range jump resulted from the inclusion of patients with alcohol and substance use disorders, for whom growing evidence suggests psilocybin may actually be beneficial rather than contraindicated. However, even the 62% upper-bound estimate is likely conservative, as the analysis focused only on currently treated individuals and did not account for the potential influx of new patients drawn by the appeal of psychedelic medicine.
The researchers caution that these projections are highly contingent on the precise FDA approval parameters and subsequent real-world implementation factors. Insurance coverage decisions, availability of trained practitioners, and regional variations in access could all considerably constrain the ultimate uptake of psilocybin therapy. Additionally, if approval encompasses off-label use for conditions beyond depression, demand could further surge in unpredictable ways.
“While our analysis is a crucial first step, we've only scratched the surface in understanding the true public health impact psilocybin therapy may have,” said Dr. Charles Raison, a collaborator on the study and the lead investigator on one of the largest clinical trials looking at the efficacy of psilocybin therapy for depression. "Ultimately, the realizable potential of this treatment rests in the hands of regulatory bodies, policymakers, insurers, and the healthcare community at large. It's our hope that these findings spur productive discussions and proactive preparations to optimize the benefit to patients while minimizing unintended consequences."
As the psychedelic renaissance continues to gather momentum, this study provides a vital glimpse into the promise and challenges that may lie ahead. With millions of lives potentially in the balance, it underscores the urgency of further research to refine demand estimates and inform equitable, effective delivery of psilocybin therapy should it gain approval.
The peer-reviewed study, “An Estimate of the Number of People with Clinical Depression Eligible for Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy in the United States,” will be published on 24 September 2024 and will be freely available online at the website of Psychedelics (Genomic Press, New York): https://pp.genomicpress.com/aop/.
About Psychedelics – Psychedelics: The Journal of Psychedelic Pharmacology (ISSN: 2997-2671) is a peer-reviewed journal published by Genomic Press, New York. The journal is exclusively dedicated to the latest advancements in the realm of psychedelic substances and their potential therapeutic uses. Psychedelics embraces the full spectrum of research, from fundamental investigations to cutting-edge clinical studies and welcomes diverse perspectives and contributions, advancing the understanding of psychedelic compounds.
To obtain a confidential pre-print before the embargo date, contact: Fayzan Rab. Emory University School of Medicine: syed.f.rab@emory.edu
Method of Research
Data/statistical analysis
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
An Estimate of the Number of People with Clinical Depression Eligible for Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy in the United States
Article Publication Date
13-Sep-2024
COI Statement
Syed Fayzan Rab serves as a consultant at Sunstone Therapies. Elliot Marseille serves as adjunct faculty at UC Berkeley's Collaborative for the Economics of Psychedelics, which has received financial support from the Usona Institute. Charles Raison serves as a consultant to Usona Institute and Novartis.
Monday, September 16, 2024
Research shows brain synchronization between humans and dogs
In a recent study published in Advanced Science, researchers studied cross-species interbrain connections between dogs and humans. They also investigated whether autism-related gene abnormalities in dogs impede social interaction between human-dog pairs.
Background
The human-dog connection has developed with time, with dogs tamed for their protective and hunting capacities. They have become valuable members of households, offering companionship and emotional support. Interspecies partnerships generate mutual benefit but seldom approach the extent of communication between humans and dogs. Dogs can read, comprehend, and react to various human emotions and linguistic signs via facial expressions, behaviors, and voice tones. However, the brain mechanisms underlying interspecies social communication remain unknown.
About the study
In the present study, researchers investigated the brain processes enabling human-dog communication. They explored the influence of autism-related gene alterations in dogs on social interactions between the two species.
Non-invasive wireless electroencephalograms (EEG) concurrently detected brain activity in beagles (research canines) and humans during social interactions. To validate the findings, researchers assessed interbrain correlations between different areas of the brain under three situations. The situations included no social interactions in separate spaces, with social interaction in one room and without social engagement in one room. Social interactions included petting and mutual gazing.
Researchers compared interbrain coupling during complete social interactions (mutual gaze + petting) to partial social interactions (mutual gaze or petting alone) to evaluate the synergistic effects of mutual gaze and petting on interbrain coupling. They also investigated brain activity associations between dogs and human participants from different trials and recorded the brain activities of the two species during social interactions for five days to evaluate the impact of social familiarity on interbrain neural coupling.
Subsequently, researchers conducted an additional five-day investigation to assess the durability or changes in interbrain interactions across prolonged periods. Linear regressions investigated the association between the duration of social interactions and interbrain activity. Generalized partial directed coherence (GPDC) algorithms assessed the directionality of interbrain activity coupling.
Researchers developed an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) model for dogs with SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeat domain 3 (Shank3) mutations using Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 (Cas9) genome editing.
Behavioral studies such as the three-chamber test and human-dog interaction experiments revealed autism-like symptoms in the mutants. Over five days, researchers explored the interbrain neuronal connection between mutant canines and humans. Theta/beta wave ratios (TBR) indicated attention problems in the mutants during the social interactions between humans and dogs.
Researchers also explored the effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), a psychedelic, on brain function. They delivered a single dosage of 7.5 μg/kg bodyweight of LSD intramuscularly and observed its effects after 24 hours.
Results
Petting and mutual gazing resulted in interbrain synchronization in the parietal and frontal areas of the brain during human-dog interactions, respectively. These brain areas are involved in joint attention. The interbrain association in these brain areas of dogs and humans caused by mutual gazing or stroking alone was much lower than that during combined social interactions, including petting and mutual gazing.
Over five days, the synchronization intensity increased as the human-dog dyad became more familiar. Linear regression analyses revealed a strong positive association between social contact time, interbrain activity correlations, and GPDC values. After a week of social contacts, logistic growth curve regressions revealed that interbrain correlation in the frontal and parietal areas had plateaued.
Interbrain correlations between humans and dogs in various sessions were much lower than in the same interaction sessions. The findings demonstrate that reciprocal involvement between dogs and humans is vital for interbrain neural connections. During the human-dog social interactions, the human takes the lead, and the dog follows. The mutant canines displayed lower attention and eliminated interbrain connections. A single dosage of LSD corrected the problems.
Conclusions
The study found that interbrain neural synchronizations between family dogs and human beings are identical to those observed during human-human interactions. The frontoparietal network is essential for interbrain activity coordination and sensory information attention. Dogs with Shank3 mutations demonstrated poor brain circuitry and attention, comparable to those with ASD. A single dosage of LSD restored reduced interbrain connection and joint attention in the mutant dogs, indicating that LSD may improve social impairment in ASD patients.
The findings point to possible interbrain neural activity biological markers for autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and the development of designed non-hallucinogenic LSD analogs to address social deficiencies. Further research into brain coupling may improve the knowledge of the neurological mechanisms that underpin social interactions between regularly developing humans and those with mental illnesses like ASD.
