Most Cited

We explored the intricate interplay of biological, social, and psychological factors contributing to substance use disorder (SUD) and co-occurring psychiatric symptoms. Drug misuse is a global concern, with increasing prevalence rates affecting menta...

In the European Union (EU), cannabidiol (CBD) products extracted from Cannabis sativa L. require pre-marketing authorisation under the novel food regulation. Currently, 19 CBD applications are being assessed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFS...

Drug abuse represents a significant public health problem with a growing tendency. As a way of circumventing the strict national and international control of psychoactive substances by regulatory agencies, there is a market release of new substances...

Rationale: Psychedelic research re-emerged from a period of suppression into the so-called psychedelic renaissance. In parallel, most media reporting has shifted from the overstatement of the risks of psychedelics to overly positive hype. As the empi...

Objective: To explore the perceived influence of psychedelic experiences on participants’ relationship with the natural world. Method: A total of 272 participants reporting previous use of psychedelics completed free-text response requests via...

Ayahuasca is an Amazonian psychoactive plant medicine being explored for its potential therapeutic uses in Western contexts. Preliminary studies link ayahuasca use with improvements across a range of mental health indicators, but studies have not yet...

Background: In the context of increasing scientific interest in the potential therapeutic use of psychedelic agents and their underlying psychotherapeutic mechanisms, we undertake the first detailed assessment of insights and life and lifestyle chang...

It is essential to develop theories and models that enable us to understand addiction’s genesis and maintenance, providing a theoretical and empirical framework for designing more effective interventions. Numerous clinical and preclinical resea...

In post-mortem (PM) investigations, forensic toxicologists attempt to identify legal or illegal substances present before death and determine how they contributed to the cause of death. A critical challenge is ensuring that PM sample concentrations a...

Psilocybin, an innate compound produced by mushrooms belonging to the Psilocybe genus, is primarily known for its agonistic effects on the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor. This receptor’s functioning is involved in many neurological processes. In the...

Because psychedelics have been found to increase psychological traits like openness, mental flexibility, and interpersonal perceptiveness, some researchers believe that psychedelics could help individuals cope with the psychological effects of discri...

This narrative review explores the utilization of psychedelic states in therapeutic contexts, deliberately shifting the focus from psychedelic substances back to the experiential phenomena which they induce, in alignment with the original meaning of...

Δ⁹-Tetrahydrocannabiphorol (Δ⁹-THCP, THCP) a psychoactive cannabinoid recently found in Cannabis sativa L., is widely used as a legal marijuana substitute. THCP is encountered in sprayed Cannabis, edibles, and vape liquids. The distributo...

Adolescents and young adults are particularly susceptible to substance abuse. They have yet to solidify their sense of self to the degree necessary to effectively resist temptations from negative peer pressure. It is vital for mental health counselor...

Meldonium, a promising pharmacological agent initially developed for cardiovascular indications, has sparked considerable interest in recent years due to its potential performance-enhancing effects. This review manuscript delves into the multifaceted...

The human brain is an extraordinarily complex organ responsible for all aspects of cognition and control. Billions of neurons form connections with thousands of other neurons, resulting in trillions of synapses that create a vast and intricate networ...

Psychedelics could have revolutionary potential in psychiatry, although, until recently, the pharmacodynamic properties of such compounds have not seemed to differ much from those of serotonin, whose levels are raised by Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors...

Background: To estimate the prevalence of co-occurring obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) with substance use disorder (SUD) in the general population. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted on the prevalence of comorbid OCD a...

The use of plant-based medicine dates back centuries, and cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is one such plant that has been used medicinally and illicitly. Although cannabis contains hundreds of cannabinoids and other natural products, its potential medicin...

Adolescence is a phase of life between childhood and adulthood marked by rapid biological, social and psychological changes. During this phase, individuals bear a more emotional and curious mind and may engage in risky behaviours. Decades of investig...

Purpose: When compared to the general population, people experiencing homelessness have significantly higher rates of TBI (traumatic brain injury). Individuals experiencing homelessness and a TBI require social support because it can serve as a prote...

Novel psychoactive substances (NPSs) are compounds plotted to modify the chemical structures of prohibited substances, offering alternatives for consumption and evading legislation. The prompt emergence of these substances presents challenges in heal...

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a substantial public health burden with limited treatment options. Recent evidence suggests that single and repeated-dose ketamine infusions have rapid and significant antidepressant effects on individuals with...

Synthetic cannabinoids are a rapidly evolving, diverse class of new psychoactive substances. Synthetic cannabinoid use results in a higher likelihood of adverse events and hospitalization when compared to cannabis use. The mechanisms behind synthetic...

The ravaging COVID-19 pandemic has almost pushed into oblivion the fact that the United States is still struggling with an immense addiction crisis. Drug overdose deaths rose from 16,849 in 1999 to nearly 110,000—of which an estimated 75,000 in...

The author surveyed researchers about United States federal grant applications for therapeutic psychedelic research and their funding success. An anonymous survey was sent to corresponding authors of the 50 most-cited psychedelic research articles pu...

Both Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and depression are leading causes of disability despite T2DM being largely preventable and depression being among the most treatable mental health conditions. Diabetes and depression have a bidirectional associati...

1,3-dimethylamylamine (1,3-DMAA) is a simple straight-chain aliphatic sympathomimetic amine, which was used as a nasal decongestant between 1948 and 1983. It reappeared in both dietary supplements as a substitute for ephedrine, and in party pills as...

Substance use/abuse and suicide are two closely related phenomena, mostly due to neurobiological, psychological, and social impairments. In the present narrative review, the relationship between suicidal behavior (SB) and the use and abuse of common...

Over the last decades, new psychoactive substances (NPSs) have established a new pattern of drug synthesis and distribution. These compounds brought with them several challenges, including their analytical determination by known methodologies, the un...

As the research field with psychedelic substances grows, it is expected to encompass a more extensive cohort of individuals presenting a spectrum of medical conditions, comorbidities, and unique physiological traits, thereby increasing the likelihood...

(1) Background: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is an illicit drug that is sold as ecstasy. We aimed to develop a voltammetric method based on a chemically modified electrode (CME) to analyze MDMA. (2) Methods: The CME was evaluated with res...

The world of drugs of abuse is a complex clinical and forensic topic since their misuse can lead to devastating consequences [...]

The identification of new psychoactive substances (compounds that mimic the effects of outlawed substances) poses a significant challenge due to their rapid emergence and continuous modifications. This phenomenon results in these molecules escaping l...

Psychedelic substances have recently emerged as a promising method for treating mental health conditions, despite a history of stigmatization and restriction in use. The present review synthesizes existing literature on the therapeutic potential of p...

Food can help release and promote neurotransmitters. As a result, the food’s effect in this regard is of great interest to individuals who have experienced dysregulation of the brain reward circuit due to addiction to drugs or other substances....

Ketamine and esketamine are two closely related compounds with fast-acting antidepressant properties that have reshaped the treatment landscape for individuals with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Originally developed as anesthetic agents, both...

This paper uses Geoffrey Rose’s theory of population health change to identify that part of lack of resolution of the harm reduction debates emerges from the philosophical question of the possibility of group-level causation. Group-level causat...

Noscapine is a naturally occurring alkaloid isolated from Papaver somniferum, commonly known as opium poppy or bread seed poppy. It edges over other opioids as it lacks addictive, sedative or euphoric effects. This review chronicles the saga of endea...

Engagement in risky sexual behaviour after consuming different substances is more prevalent among Indian men. Sometimes, practicing risky sexual behaviour increases the risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV, among individuals. A...

Background: Delirium is a complex neuropsychiatric syndrome common in all medical settings. An acute change in cognition characterizes a disturbance of consciousness, usually resulting from an underlying medical condition or withdrawal from medicatio...

Czechia has recently approved the medical use of psilocybin, marking a pivotal shift in the country’s drug policy landscape. This development paves the way for regulated therapeutic applications of psilocybin within clinical settings, while sim...

Synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are key drivers of the opioid crisis, contributing to approximately 68% of the nearly 108,000 deaths linked to drug overdose in 2022 (CDC). Though fentanyl is a μ opioid receptor agonist, it demonstrates enhanced...

Background: There is ongoing research into the potential use of psychedelics and 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) as alternatives to commonly used medications for treating major depressive and anxiety disorders. Aims: We aimed to assess the...

Alcohol is the recreational drug most frequently consumed, and its high frequency of use can lead to worsening social, psychological, and domestic issues. The age group most susceptible to alcohol dependence is 18- to 24-year-old youths, demanding in...

Adolescence is a phase characterized by reckless and risky behaviors, including the initiation and use of various illicit substances such as cannabis and alcohol. When ingested or administered, these substances affect mental processes by delivering p...

Several authors have advanced the idea that psychedelics such as psilocybin might be effective means for achieving moral bioenhancement (MBE). Here, I discuss some reservations on this assertion from both neuropharmacological and bioethical perspecti...

Background: Ayahuasca is a serotoninergic hallucinogen that plays a central role in the Amazonian traditional medicine. Its psychoactive effects are associated with the presence of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO-A...

High-quality palliative care has been shown to provide benefits for cancer patients, including greater longevity when initiated earlier in treatment. Previous research conducted among terminal patients in the Illinois Medical Cannabis Program has sug...

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe mental illness with grave social, political, economic, and humanitarian implications. To apply the principles of personalized omics-based medicine to this psychiatric problem, we implemented our previ...