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Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG

15. December 2021 Admin Leave a comment

Timmermann, C., Roseman, L., Schartner, M., Milliere, R., Williams, L. T. J., Erritzoe, D., … Carhart-Harris, R. L.. (2019). Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 16324.

Plain numerical DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51974-4
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“Studying transitions in and out of the altered state of consciousness caused by intravenous (iv) n,n-dimethyltryptamine (dmt – a fast-acting tryptamine psychedelic) offers a safe and powerful means of advancing knowledge on the neurobiology of conscious states. here we sought to investigate the effects of iv dmt on the power spectrum and signal diversity of human brain activity (6 female, 7 male) recorded via multivariate eeg, and plot relationships between subjective experience, brain activity and drug plasma concentrations across time. compared with placebo, dmt markedly reduced oscillatory power in the alpha and beta bands and robustly increased spontaneous signal diversity. time-referenced and neurophenomenological analyses revealed close relationships between changes in various aspects of subjective experience and changes in brain activity. importantly, the emergence of oscillatory activity within the delta and theta frequency bands was found to correlate with the peak of the experience – particularly its eyes-closed visual component. these findings highlight marked changes in oscillatory activity and signal diversity with dmt that parallel broad and specific components of the subjective experience, thus advancing our understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of immersive states of consciousness.”

Psychdelic Webdesign

Fractal in HTML & CSS

15. December 2021 Admin Leave a comment

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.effect-wrapper .layer2,
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Salvia, Varia

Bioactive Components of Salvia and Their Potential Antidiabetic Properties: A Review

15. December 2021 Admin Leave a comment

Abd Rashed, A., & Rathi, D.-N. G.. (2021). Bioactive Components of Salvia and Their Potential Antidiabetic Properties: A Review. Molecules, 26(10), 3042.

Plain numerical DOI: 10.3390/molecules26103042
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“The utilization of therapeutic plants is expanding around the globe, coupled with the tremendous expansion of alternative medicine and growing demand in health treatment. plants are applied in pharmaceuticals to preserve and expand health—physically, mentally and as well as to treat particular health conditions and afflictions. there are more than 600 families of plants identified so far. among the plants that are often studied for their health benefit include the genus of salvia in the mint family, lamiaceae. this review aims to determine the bioactive components of salvia and their potential as antidiabetic agents. the search was conducted using three databases (pubmed, embase and scopus), and all relevant articles that are freely available in the english language were extracted within 10 years (2011–2021). salvia spp. comprises many biologically active components that can be divided into monoterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, and phenolic components, but only a few of these have been studied in-depth for their health benefit claims. the most commonly studied bioactive component was salvianolic acids. interestingly, s. miltiorrhiza is undoubtedly the most widely studied salvia species in terms of its effectiveness as an antidiabetic agent. in conclusion, we hope that this review stimulates more studies on bioactive components from medicinal plants, not only on their potential as antidiabetic agents but also for other possible health benefits.”

DMT

Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT)

14. December 2021 Admin Leave a comment

Cameron, L. P., & Olson, D. E.. (2018). Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT). ACS Chemical Neuroscience

Plain numerical DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00101
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“Though relatively obscure, n,n-dimethyltryptamine (dmt) is an important molecule in psychopharmacology as it is the archetype for all indole-containing serotonergic psychedelics. its structure can be found embedded within those of better-known molecules such as lysergic acid diethylamide (lsd) and psilocybin. unlike the latter two compounds, dmt is ubiquitous, being produced by a wide variety of plant and animal species. it is one of the principal psychoactive components of ayahuasca, a tisane made from various plant sources that has been used for centuries. furthermore, dmt is one of the few psychedelic compounds produced endogenously by mammals, and its biological function in human physiology remains a mystery. in this review, we cover the synthesis of dmt as well as its pharmacology, metabolism, adverse effects, and potential use in medicine. finally, we discuss the history of dmt in chemical neuroscience and why this underappreciated molecule is so important to the field of psychedelic science.”

Varia

Harnessing psilocybin: Antidepressant-like behavioral and synaptic actions of psilocybin are independent of 5-HT2R activation in mice

14. December 2021 Admin Leave a comment

Hesselgrave, N., Troppoli, T. A., Wulff, A. B., Cole, A. B., & Thompson, S. M.. (2021). Harnessing psilocybin: Antidepressant-like behavioral and synaptic actions of psilocybin are independent of 5-HT2R activation in mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Plain numerical DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2022489118
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“Depression is a widespread and devastating mental illness and the search for rapid-acting antidepressants remains critical. there is now exciting evidence that the psychedelic compound psilocybin produces not only powerful alterations of consciousness, but also rapid and persistent antidepressant effects. how psilocybin exerts its therapeutic actions is not known, but it is widely presumed that these actions require altered consciousness, which is known to be dependent on serotonin 2a receptor (5-ht2ar) activation. this hypothesis has never been tested, however. we therefore asked whether psilocybin would exert antidepressant-like responses in mice and, if so, whether these responses required 5-ht2ar activation. using chronically stressed male mice, we observed that a single injection of psilocybin reversed anhedonic responses assessed with the sucrose preference and female urine preference tests. the antianhedonic response to psilocybin was accompanied by a strengthening of excitatory synapses in the hippocampus—a characteristic of traditional and fast-acting antidepressants. neither behavioral nor electrophysiological responses to psilocybin were prevented by pretreatment with the 5-ht2a/2c antagonist ketanserin, despite positive evidence of ketanserin’s efficacy. we conclude that psilocybin’s mechanism of antidepressant action can be studied in animal models and suggest that altered perception may not be required for its antidepressant effects. we further suggest that a 5-ht2ar–independent restoration of synaptic strength in cortico-mesolimbic reward circuits may contribute to its antidepressant action. the possibility of combining psychedelic compounds and a 5-ht2ar antagonist offers a potential means to increase their acceptance and clinical utility and should be studied in human depression.”

Varia

Prospective examination of synthetic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine inhalation: effects on salivary IL-6, cortisol levels, affect, and non-judgment

14. December 2021 Admin Leave a comment

Uthaug, M. V., Lancelotta, R., Szabo, A., Davis, A. K., Riba, J., & Ramaekers, J. G.. (2020). Prospective examination of synthetic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine inhalation: effects on salivary IL-6, cortisol levels, affect, and non-judgment. Psychopharmacology, 237(3), 773–785.

Plain numerical DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05414-w
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“Rationale: 5-methoxy-n,n-dimethyltryptamine is a psychotropic substance found in various plant and animal species and is synthetically produced. 5-methoxy-n,n-dimethyltryptamine is used in naturalistic settings for spiritual exploration, recreation, or to address negative affect and mood problems. however, scientific knowledge on the effects of 5-methoxy-n,n-dimethyltryptamine in humans is scarce. objectives: the first objective was to assess the effects of inhalation of vaporized synthetic 5-methoxy-n,n-dimethyltryptamine on neuroendocrine markers. the second objective was to assess effects of the substance on affect and mindfulness. in addition, we assessed whether ratings of subjective measures were associated with changes in stress biomarkers (i.e., cortisol) and immune response (i.e., il-6, crp, il-1β), as well as the acute psychedelic experience. methods: assessments (baseline, immediately post-session, and 7-day follow-up) were made in 11 participants. salivary samples were collected at baseline and post-session and analyzed by high-sensitivity enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa). results: 5-methoxy-n,n-dimethyltryptamine significantly increased cortisol levels and decreased il-6 concentrations in saliva immediately post-session. these changes were not correlated to ratings of mental health or the psychedelic experience. relative to baseline, ratings of non-judgment significantly increased, and ratings of depression decreased immediately post-session and at follow-up. ratings of anxiety and stress decreased from baseline to 7-day follow-up. participant ratings of the psychedelic experience correlated negatively with ratings of affect and positively with ratings of non-judgment. conclusion: inhalation of vaporized synthetic 5-methoxy-n,n-dimethyltryptamine produced significant changes in inflammatory markers, improved affect, and non-judgment in volunteers. future research should examine the effect of 5-methoxy-n,n-dimethyltryptamineamine with healthy volunteers in a controlled laboratory setting.”

Iboga, Varia

Tabernanthalog—a water-soluble, non-hallucinogenic, non-toxic analogue of ibogaine

11. December 2021 Admin Leave a comment

The psychedelic alkaloid ibogaine has anti-addictive properties in both humans and animals. Unlike most medications for the treatment of substance use disorders, anecdotal reports suggest that ibogaine has the potential to treat addiction to various substances, including opiates, alcohol and psychostimulants. The effects of ibogaine—like those of other psychedelic compounds—are long-lasting, which has been attributed to its ability to modify addiction-related neural circuitry through the activation of neurotrophic factor signalling. However, several safety concerns have hindered the clinical development of ibogaine, including its toxicity, hallucinogenic potential and tendency to induce cardiac arrhythmias. Here we apply the principles of function-oriented synthesis to identify the key structural elements of the potential therapeutic pharmacophore of ibogaine, and we use this information to engineer tabernanthalog—a water-soluble, non-hallucinogenic, non-toxic analogue of ibogaine that can be prepared in a single step. In rodents, tabernanthalog was found to promote structural neural plasticity, reduce alcohol- and heroin-seeking behaviour, and produce antidepressant-like effects. This work demonstrates that, through careful chemical design, it is possible to modify a psychedelic compound to produce a safer, non-hallucinogenic variant that has therapeutic potential.

www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-3008-z

Psychdelic Webdesign, Varia

Newtonian fractal

Aside 11. December 2021 Admin Leave a comment

usefuljs.net/fractals/

Varia

A systematic review of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for mental health: An evaluation of the current wave of research and suggestions for the future

10. December 2021 Admin Leave a comment

Wheeler, S. W., & Dyer, N. L.. (2020). A systematic review of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for mental health: An evaluation of the current wave of research and suggestions for the future.. Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, 7(3), 279–315.

Plain numerical DOI: 10.1037/cns0000237
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“Research on psychedelics has seen a recent revival, with many clinical trials focused on their therapeutic potential to treat a range of mental health conditions. the purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate clinical trials of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for mental health conditions from the present wave of psychedelic research (1990s to present). a total of 43 studies met criteria and were included. the conditions reviewed were substance use disorders; anxiety and/or depression, often associated with terminal illness; posttraumatic stress disorder; and obsessive-compulsive disorder. quantitative results indicate that psychedelics can significantly reduce clinical outcomes associated with these mental health conditions. common themes identified from qualitative reports included increased acceptance and processing of emotions, connectedness to others, forgiveness, self-compassion, insights into the self, peak or mystical experiences, ego dissolution, positive changes in worldview, motivation and commitment to change, changes in the relationship to the substance of abuse for those with substance use disorder, and acceptance of death for those with terminal illness. no serious, long-term adverse events were reported directly attributable to drug ingestion. we discuss the strengths and limitations of the research base, along with suggestions for clinical practice, potential therapeutic mechanisms, and directions for future research. despite promising results, further work is needed to determine which psychedelic is best suited for diverse mental health conditions, the most appropriate type of psychotherapy to employ, and the psychological and neurobiological mechanisms underlying clinical benefits.”

Varia

Neural Mechanisms and Psychology of Psychedelic Ego Dissolution (Peprint)

10. December 2021 Admin Leave a comment

Stoliker, D., Egan, G. F., Friston, K. J., & Razi, A.. (2021). Neural Mechanisms and Psychology of Psychedelic Ego Dissolution. Bioarxiv

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“Neuroimaging studies of psychedelics have advanced our understanding of hierarchical brain organisation and the mechanisms underlying their subjective and therapeutic effects. the primary mechanism of action of classic psychedelics is binding to serotonergic 5ht2a receptors. agonist activity at these receptors leads to neuromodulatory changes in synaptic efficacy that can have a profound effect on hierarchical message passing in the brain. here, we review the cognitive and neuroimaging evidence for the effects of psychedelics; in particular, their influence on selfhood and subject-object boundaries-known as ego dissolution-surmised to underwrite their subjective and therapeutic effects. agonism of 5ht2a receptors, located at the apex of the cortical hierarchy, may have a particularly powerful effect on sentience and consciousness. these effects can endure well after the pharmacological half-life, suggesting that psychedelics may have long-term effects on neural plasticity that may play a role in their therapeutic efficacy. psychologically, this may be accompanied by a surrender of ego resistance that increases the repertoire of perceptual hypotheses, including those that undergird selfhood. we consider the interaction between serotonergic neuromodulation and sentience through the lens of hierarchical predictive coding, which speaks to the value of psychedelics in understanding how we make sense of the world-and specific predictions about effective connectivity in cortical hierarchies that can be tested using functional neuroimaging.”

Intelligent Boolenan Search function (auto-completion)

Psychedelic Lab

All posts by Admin

Neural correlates of the DMT experience assessed with multivariate EEG

Show/hide publication abstract

Fractal in HTML & CSS

Bioactive Components of Salvia and Their Potential Antidiabetic Properties: A Review

Show/hide publication abstract

Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT)

Show/hide publication abstract

Harnessing psilocybin: Antidepressant-like behavioral and synaptic actions of psilocybin are independent of 5-HT2R activation in mice

Show/hide publication abstract

Prospective examination of synthetic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine inhalation: effects on salivary IL-6, cortisol levels, affect, and non-judgment

Show/hide publication abstract

Tabernanthalog—a water-soluble, non-hallucinogenic, non-toxic analogue of ibogaine

Newtonian fractal

A systematic review of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for mental health: An evaluation of the current wave of research and suggestions for the future

Show/hide publication abstract

Neural Mechanisms and Psychology of Psychedelic Ego Dissolution (Peprint)

Show/hide publication abstract

Ψ From Molecule to Mind — and beyond ∞