Phase 2b data from MindMed’s LSD-based therapy adds to the mounting evidence that psychedelic-assisted therapies could treat mental health conditions like anxiety, depression and PTSD. In particular, the study found statistically significant dose-dependent improvements in the Hamilton Anxiety rating scale (HAM-A) at the 100 and 200 μg dose levels in the four-week study. Similarly, recent…
The future of rapid and enduring neuropsychiatric treatments: From psychedelics to non-hallucinatory psychoplastogens
Neuropsychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety, are among the leading causes of disability worldwide. Almost one billion people globally — roughly one out of eight individuals — live with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depressive disorders the most common, according to the World Health Organization. Yet current therapies such as selective serotonin reuptake…
LSD-assisted therapy resulted in durable anxiety improvement in Phase 2 study
A randomized placebo-controlled Phase 2 study found that lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)–assisted therapy yielded significant reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms for up to 16 weeks. The data from the study was recently published in the peer-reviewed Biological Psychiatry. Researchers at the University Hospital Basel (UHB) conducted the investigator-initiated study, which involved 42 patients. While…
Can the U.S. unify around psychedelics for mental health?
The U.S. has perhaps never been more divided than it is today. Americans are divided over politics and myriad social issues, COVID-19, climate change, immigration and seemingly everything else. Not surprisingly, opinions also diverge on whether psychedelic drugs have therapeutic potential. Earlier this year, a survey from The Harris Poll found that 65% of Americans with anxiety,…
Psilocybin holds therapeutic promise — but tapping its potential could be a challenge
A growing number of small studies indicate that psilocybin, a psychoactive compound in hallucinogenic mushrooms, holds promise for treating depression, addiction and anxiety. But while traditional psychedelics like psilocybin may have broad potential, making effective therapeutic use of them at scale is likely to be challenging in the near term, said psilocybin advocate Derek Chase,…
Could milk peptides treat central nervous system disorders?
Scientists found milk components that may treat central nervous system (CNS) conditions, including anxiety and depression. These are new generation compounds that showed promising results in preclinical studies, predicting the avoidance of side effects caused by anxiolytics and antidepressants found in pharmacies. Milk can indeed calm down many people — just think of the glasses…