Psychedelic Medicine

The usual suspects, like steroids, are closely monitored in sports but what about other drugs such as psychedelics, not commonly thought to be performance-enhancing? Can LSD improve athletic performance, and if so what does this mean for elite sport?

New research lends support to a controversial hypothesis dubbed the entourage effect, which claims the medical benefits of cannabis are not due to single cannabinoids such as THC or CBD, but rather the interactions between various compounds in the plant.

An extraordinary new study is reporting the first direct demonstration of a psilocybin dose inducing neural plasticity in a mammalian brain. The researchers hypothesize this mechanism playing a role in the drug’s antidepressant qualities.

How much of a problem is it if participants in psychedelic clinical trials can easily tell they have been given a placebo? Researcher Suresh Muthukumaraswamy suggests it is, and many findings from recent psychedelic trials may be over-estimated.

A Phase 2 clinical trial has found a single treatment session with nitrous oxide can deliver significant and rapid improvements in patients with treatment-resistant depression, and the research indicates these benefits can last for at least two weeks.

With psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy on the cusp of broad clinical approval, millions of people may soon experience these hallucinogenic drugs for the first time. Can a genetic test help predict how individuals will respond to psychedelics?

The first results from Phase 3 trials testing MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD have been announced. The promising data are the first Phase 3 results to be revealed for any psychedelic-based therapy paving the way for a landmark FDA approval in 2023.

A new study presents results from one of the first placebo-controlled trials exploring the influence of CBD on sensations of acute pain. The mixed results suggest CBD may reduce feelings of unpleasantness, helping one tolerate pain more effectively.

A first-of-its-kind trial has pitted a common antidepressant against psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms. The results are mixed but suggest the drug is at least as effective as common antidepressants in treating depression.

New research suggests cannabis use can be linked to higher rates of "rebound headaches" in migraine sufferers. The research is observational and retrospective, but it is yet another finding questioning how helpful cannabis is for chronic migraine patients.

A landmark "self-blinded" trial testing the effect of psychedelic microdosing has found the practice may be an example of a strong placebo effect. The research suggests there is little difference in reported benefits between a microdose and a placebo.

A new, small open-label trial is the first to test MDMA therapy as a treatment for addiction and the results suggest it is safe, well-tolerated and significantly more effective than any current treatment for alcoholism.