This is all the other psychedelic research that came out in March 2021. These papers don’t (yet) have their own page in our database.

Find our recap of the most interesting papers this month in our March Recap.

You can find all interesting papers in our Papers Database.

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• Lysergic acid diethylamide differentially modulates the reticular thalamus, mediodorsal thalamus, and infralimbic prefrontal cortex: An in vivo electrophysiology study in male mice (in mice, “LSD modulates firing and burst-firing activity of reticular thalamus neurons and disinhibits mediodorsal thalamus relay neurons at least partially in a D₂-mediated fashion.“
• What Can the Chemical Hold?: The Politics of Efficacy in the Psychedelic Renaissance (efficacy of psychedelics from chemical and experienced/subjective level and the clashes between both perspectives)
• Consistency of the Antidepressant Effect of Intranasal Esketamine in Phase 3 Clinical Trials (interesting observation and some critique on FDA phase II and III process)
• Does Peritraumatic Ketamine Reduce Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder? (acute administration of ketamine doesn’t lead to more PTSD)
• Effect of ketamine on mood dysfunction and spatial cognition deficits in PTSD mouse models via HCN1-BDNF signaling (in mice, ketamine improved PTSD-like behavior in stressed mice, but not all brain functions restored to baseline)
• Lysergic acid diethylamide differentially modulates the reticular thalamus, mediodorsal thalamus, and infralimbic prefrontal cortex: An in vivo electrophysiology study in male mice (“LSD decreased spontaneous firing and burst-firing activity in 50% of the recorded reticular thalamus neurons in a dose–response fashion starting at 10 µg/kg” … “LSD excited infralimbic prefrontal cortex pyramidal neurons only at the highest dose tested (160 µg/kg).“)
• Legalizing Marijuana, Psilocybin Mushrooms, and MDMA for Medical Use (thesis)
• Repeated but not single administration of ketamine prolongs increases of the firing activity of norepinephrine and dopamine neurons (in rats, changes in firing activity of norepinephrine and dopamine neurons at 1 day after repeated dosages, but not serotonin neurons. Dopamine neurons still affected 3 days later, but not at 7 days)
• Hydroxynorketamines: Pharmacology and Potential Therapeutic Applications (review, “details the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the HNKs, as well as their behavioral actions, putative mechanisms of action, and potential therapeutic applications.“)
• Chemistry and Toxicology of Major Bioactive Substances in Inocybe Mushrooms (slightly different definition of toxic as psychonauts will use I think, ps muscarine can be toxic but psilocybin/psilocin not in the same way)
• Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of 5-Methylpsilocybin: A Tryptamine with Potential Psychedelic Activity (novel analogue of psilocybin)
• Could a drug‐checking service increase intention to use ecstasy at a festival? (no)
• Connected to the spirit of the frog: An Internet-based survey on Kambô, the secretion of the Amazonian Giant Maki Frog ( Phyllomedusa bicolor): Motivations for use, settings and subjective experiences (survey, n=386, used Kambo for healing, detoxification, spiritual growth. Increased well-being, life satisfaction)
• Biosynthesis, total synthesis, and biological profiles of Ergot alkaloids (review)
• RETRACTED: The Sustained Antidepressant Effects of Ketamine are Independent of the Lateral Habenula (in rats, finds that antidepressant effects are not dependent on blockin gof burst firing in lateral habenula)
• Intra-prefrontal cyclosporine potentiates ketamine-induced fear extinction in rats (in rats, “The results showed that CsA can enhance the extinction of conditioned fear and inhibit the enzyme CN at a dose of 20 nM. The combination of sub-effective doses of CsA (5 nM) and ketamine (10 mg/kg) could again enhance the extinction of fear and reduce CN activity in the region.“)
• Clinical and biological predictors of psychedelic response in the treatment of psychiatric and addictive disorders: a systematic review (review, finds the intensity of the acute drug experience to be the best predictor of positive outcomes on a range of disorders)
• Efficacy of dextromethorphan for the treatment of depression: A systematic review of preclinical and clinical trials (review of cough suppressant (dextromethorphan) as antidepressant with success, also highlights the glutamate system and links to ketamine also working via that system)
• LSD and palliative care in the 1960s, a missed rendez-vous? (French, history of LSD and end-of-life care)
• Association Between Lifetime Classic Psychedelic Use and Hypertension in the Past Year (this analysis of survey data found a correlation between the lifetime use of tryptamines (DMT, psilocybin) and hypertension. This link wasn’t found with phenethylamines)
• Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelics in the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders, Part 1: Psychopharmacology and Neurobiological Effects (review part 1)
• Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelics in Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders, Part 2: Review of the Evidence (review part 2)
• The effectiveness, safety and tolerability of ketamine for depression in adolescents and older adults: A systematic review (“Ketamine appears to be safe and well-tolerated in adolescents and older adults.” but still limited amount of studies for these populations)
• Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA): Serotonergic and dopaminergic mechanisms related to its use and misuse (in mice, looking at potential (neurochemical) ways MDMA can lead to addiction)
• Concomitant drugs associated with increased mortality for MDMA users reported in a drug safety surveillance database (don’t combine drugs!)
• Psilocybin: From Serendipity to Credibility? (to be published soon, critique on retreats ‘jumping the gun’)
• Containment Matters: Set and Setting in Contemporary Psychedelic Psychiatry (ethnographic study of psychedelic research and musings on set and setting)
• The Immortality Key: The Secret History of the Religion with No Name (review of The Immortality Key, citing lack of evidence/overreach by the author to make the conclusions drawn)
• Within-treatment changes in a novel addiction treatment program using traditional Amazonian medicine (n=36, open-label, ayahuasca for addiction)
• Low Doses of Psilocybin and Ketamine Enhance Motivation and Attention in Poor Performing Rats: Evidence for an Antidepressant Property (in rats, “improved attentional accuracy and a measure of impulsive action“)
• Associations between lifetime classic psychedelic use and markers of physical health (correlation ≠ causation, finds positive correlation between psychedelics use and health markers such as obesity)
• Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration: A Transtheoretical Model for Clinical Practice (framework for using psychedelics with a focus on integration, by founders of Fluence)
• Trends in MDMA‐related mortality across four countries (trending upwards, most deaths (also) due to other drugs)
• Hallucinogenic/psychedelic 5HT2A receptor agonists as rapid antidepressant therapeutics: Evidence and mechanisms of action (review, promise of classical psychedelics for depression, MDD)
• Synthesizing the Evidence for Ketamine and Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: An International Expert Opinion on the Available Evidence and Implementation (review, racemix ketamine and esketamine comparisons)
• Medicinal psychedelics for mental health and addiction: Advancing research of an emerging paradigm (review, positive but argues more research is needed)
• Brain Entropy During Aging Through a Free Energy Principle Approach (expansion on the entropic brain, focus on aging which diminishes entropy)
• Antisuicidal and antidepressant effects of ketamine and esketamine in patients with baseline suicidality: A systematic review (review, no effect of esketamine, IV-ketamine (racemix) showed some positive results, but short-lasting)
• The e-psychonaut drugs’ psychopharmacology (looking at novel substances/psychedelics that are being discussed online)
• Somatostatin interneurons activated by 5-HT_2A receptor suppress slow oscillations in medial entorhinal cortex (pre-print, finds processes of serotonin that get disturbed by MDMA, technical paper)
• The effect of ketamine on preventing postpartum depression (n=134, ketamine + nosdonal to induce anesthesia led to lower depression scores up to four weeks later for women undergoing caesarian sections)
• Exploring the relationship between microdosing, personality and emotional insight: A prospective study (n=24 at follow-up, some effects on personality)
• Structural insights into the lipid and ligand regulation of serotonin receptors (specifically about serotonin receptors)
• Apnea with ketamine sedation in a patient with severe anorexia nervosa: A case report (case report, apnea (cessation of breathing) after ketamine administration)
• Somatostatin interneurons activated by 5-HT _2A receptor suppress slow oscillations in medial entorhinal cortex (MDMA, in mice)
• A qualitative and quantitative account of patient’s experiences of ketamine and its antidepressant properties (n=32, qualitative study provides correlation between mystical effects and long-term benefits)
• Do Hallucinogens Have a Role in the Treatment of Addictions? A Review of the Current Literature (review, psychedelics for addiction, promising)
• Somatic Comorbidities and Cardiovascular Safety in Ketamine Use for Treatment-Resistant Depression (n=49, “This study supports evidence for good safety and tolerability profile for short-term IV ketamine use in TRD treatment. However, risk mitigation measures are to be considered in patients with metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidities.“)
• Psychoactive Substances of Natural Origin: Toxicological Aspects, Therapeutic Properties and Analysis in Biological Samples (safety review, toxology of ayahuasca, iboga, and other psychoactive plants)
• A quantitative exploration of the relationships between regular yoga practice, microdosing psychedelics, wellbeing and personality variables (n=339, yoga, microdosing, and combination (or neither), finds higher scores on well-being and openness)
• A Qualitative Study of Intention and Impact of Ayahuasca Use by Westerners (pre-print, n=41, qualitative)
• Epidemiology of hospitalizations with hallucinogen use disorder: a 17-year U.S. National study (from 23 to 40 claims of hallucinogen use disorder, per 100.000)
• Optimizing psychedelic compounds for neuropsychiatric therapy (perspective, mostly about Cameron et al. 2020)
• Does mismatch negativity have utility for NMDA receptor drug development in depression? (drug development critique/ideas for ketamine for depression, MDD)
• Ketamine Use Among People Who Regularly Use Ecstasy and Other Illicit Stimulants in Australia: Trends and Characteristics of Use, 2009-2019 (low use, nothing that interesting)