DMT cut depression scores by 7.35 points in 2 weeks vs placebo

Key Findings

🔬 Psilocybin plus CBT shows promise in pilot depression trial

• 16 participants completed psilocybin-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy (PA-CBT) with two doses (10 mg and 25 mg) plus 12 therapy sessions over 4 months

• 13 of 16 participants showed at least 25% improvement by 3 months, with 9 achieving full remission

• Effect sizes ranged from 1.9-2.7 (considered very large) and improvements were sustained at 3-month follow-up

🧬 LSD microdosing improves daily mood in depression study

• 19 participants with major depression took 8 μg LSD doses twice weekly for 8 weeks, with dose adjustments from 6-20 μg

• Daily mood scores showed significant improvements on dosing days (creativity, happiness) compared to non-dosing days

• No evidence of tolerance or sensitization despite repeated dosing over the 8-week period

🎯 Touch therapy gets mixed reviews in psilocybin treatment

• 18 participants from a psilocybin clinical trial were interviewed about their experiences with therapeutic touch during sessions

• Most valued having touch available and described it as fostering emotional connection and providing grounding during intense states

• Some participants reported discomfort or distraction, highlighting the need for individualized consent and careful preparation

🧠 Ayahuasca shows sustained depression relief in 280-person study

• 280 adults at São Paulo clinics received ayahuasca treatment with psychotherapy support and were followed for 6 months

• Depression scores (MADRS) showed significant reductions shortly after treatment that were sustained for up to 180 days

• Benefits extended beyond depression to include improvements in anxiety symptoms and substance dependence

⚠️ Adolescent psilocybin exposure causes lasting brain changes in mice

• Male and female mice received 3.0 mg/kg psilocybin every other day from postnatal days 40-50, then were tested 40-70 days later

• Males showed more pronounced effects including reduced brain volume, altered water diffusivity, and decreased neuroplasticity protein markers in the prefrontal cortex

• Both sexes showed increased functional brain connectivity and altered responses to rewarding and aversive stimuli

💡 Ketamine's antidepressant effects don't require the 'trip'

• 96 adults with alcohol use disorder received three weekly ketamine infusions (0.8 mg/kg) or placebo in a controlled trial

• Ketamine produced strong psychoactive effects on all measured scales compared to placebo, but these effects didn't predict treatment success

• Ketamine reduced alcohol consumption regardless of how intense the psychoactive experience was during infusion