Publications

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• Journal article
  Dougherty RF, Clarke P, Atli M, Kuc J, Schlosser D, Dunlop BW, Hellerstein DJ, Aaronson ST, Zisook S, Young AH, Carhart-Harris R, Goodwin GM, Ryslik GAet al., 2023,

  Psilocybin therapy for treatment resistant depression: prediction of clinical outcome by natural language processing

  , PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY, ISSN: 0033-3158
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  • Citations: 11
• Journal article
  Zeifman RJ, Kettner H, Pagni BA, Mallard A, Roberts DE, Erritzoe D, Ross S, Carhart-Harris RLet al., 2023,

  Co-use of MDMA with psilocybin/LSD may buffer against challenging experiences and enhance positive experiences

  , Scientific Reports, Vol: 13, Pages: 1-11, ISSN: 2045-2322

  Psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) experiences can range from very positive to highly challenging (e.g., fear, grief, and paranoia). These challenging experiences contribute to hesitancy toward psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy among health care providers and patients. Co-use of 3,4-Methylenedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA) with psilocybin/LSD anecdotally reduces challenging experiences and enhances positive experiences associated with psilocybin/LSD. However, limited research has investigated the acute effects of co-use of MDMA and psilocybin/LSD. In a prospective convenience sample (N = 698) of individuals with plans to use psilocybin/LSD, we examined whether co-use of MDMA with psilocybin/LSD (n = 27) is associated with differences in challenging or positive experiences. Challenging experiences were measured using the Challenging Experiences Questionnaire and positive experiences were measured using the Mystical Experience Questionnaire and single-item measures of self-compassion, compassion, love, and gratitude. Potentially confounding variables were identified and included as covariates. Relative to psilocybin/LSD alone, co-use of psilocybin/LSD with a self-reported low (but not medium–high) dose of MDMA was associated with significantly less intense total challenging experiences, grief, and fear, as well as increased self-compassion, love and gratitude. Co-use of psilocybin/LSD and MDMA was not associated with differences in mystical-type experiences or compassion. Findings suggest co-use of MDMA with psilocybin/LSD may buffer against some aspects of challenging experiences and enhance certain positive experiences. Limitations include use of a convenience sample, small sample size, and non-experimental design. Additional studies (including controlled dose–response studies) that examine the effects and safety of co-administering MDMA with psilocybin/LSD (in healthy controls and clinical samples) are warranted an

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• Journal article
  Zeifman RJ, Wagner AC, Monson CM, Carhart-Harris RLet al., 2023,

  How does psilocybin therapy work? An exploration of experiential avoidance as a putative mechanism of change

  , JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS, Vol: 334, Pages: 100-112, ISSN: 0165-0327
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• Journal article
  Wall MB, Lam C, Ertl N, Kaelen M, Roseman L, Nutt DJ, Carhart-Harris RLet al., 2023,

  Increased low-frequency brain responses to music after psilocybin therapy for depression

  , JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS, Vol: 333, Pages: 321-330, ISSN: 0165-0327
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  • Citations: 19
• Journal article
  Weiss B, Erritzoe D, Giribaldi B, Nutt DJ, Carhart-Harris RLet al., 2023,

  A critical evaluation of QIDS-SR-16 using data from a trial of psilocybin therapy versus escitalopram treatment for depression

  , JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY, Vol: 37, Pages: 717-732, ISSN: 0269-8811
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  • Citations: 15
• Journal article
  Singleton SP, Timmermann C, Luppi AI, Eckernäs E, Roseman L, Carhart-Harris RL, Kuceyeski Aet al., 2023,

  Time-resolved network control analysis links reduced control energy under DMT with the serotonin 2a receptor, signal diversity, and subjective experience.

  , bioRxiv

  Psychedelics offer a profound window into the functioning of the human brain and mind through their robust acute effects on perception, subjective experience, and brain activity patterns. In recent work using a receptor-informed network control theory framework, we demonstrated that the serotonergic psychedelics lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin flatten the brain's control energy landscape in a manner that covaries with more dynamic and entropic brain activity. Contrary to LSD and psilocybin, whose effects last for hours, the serotonergic psychedelic N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) rapidly induces a profoundly immersive altered state of consciousness lasting less than 20 minutes, allowing for the entirety of the drug experience to be captured during a single resting-state fMRI scan. Using network control theory, which quantifies the amount of input necessary to drive transitions between functional brain states, we integrate brain structure and function to map the energy trajectories of 14 individuals undergoing fMRI during DMT and placebo. Consistent with previous work, we find that global control energy is reduced following injection with DMT compared to placebo. We additionally show longitudinal trajectories of global control energy correlate with longitudinal trajectories of EEG signal diversity (a measure of entropy) and subjective ratings of drug intensity. We interrogate these same relationships on a regional level and find that the spatial patterns of DMT's effects on these metrics are correlated with serotonin 2a receptor density (obtained from separately acquired PET data). Using receptor distribution and pharmacokinetic information, we were able to successfully recapitulate the effects of DMT on global control energy trajectories, demonstrating a proof-of-concept for the use of control models in predicting pharmacological intervention effects on brain dynamics.

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• Journal article
  Nayak SM, Bari BA, Yaden DB, Spriggs MJ, Rosas FE, Peill JM, Giribaldi B, Erritzoe D, Nutt DJ, Carhart-Harris Ret al., 2023,

  A Bayesian Reanalysis of a Trial of Psilocybin Versus Escitalopram for Depression

  , PSYCHEDELIC MEDICINE, Vol: 1, Pages: 18-26, ISSN: 2831-4425
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  • Citations: 5
• Journal article
  Forstmann M, Kettner HS, Sagioglou C, Irvine A, Gandy S, Carhart-Harris RL, Luke Det al., 2023,

  Among psychedelic-experienced users, only past use of psilocybin reliably predicts nature relatedness

  , JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY, Vol: 37, Pages: 93-106, ISSN: 0269-8811
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  • Citations: 10
• Journal article
  Shukuroglou M, Roseman L, Wall M, Nutt D, Kaelen M, Carhart-Harris Ret al., 2023,

  Changes in music-evoked emotion and ventral striatal functional connectivity after psilocybin therapy for depression

  , JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY, Vol: 37, Pages: 70-79, ISSN: 0269-8811
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  • Citations: 18
• Journal article
  Abrams SK, Rabinovitch BS, Zafar R, Aziz AS, Cherup NP, McMillan DW, Nielson JL, Lewis ECet al., 2023,

  Persons With Spinal Cord Injury Report Peripherally Dominant Serotonin-Like Syndrome After Use of Serotonergic Psychedelics.

  , Neurotrauma Rep, Vol: 4, Pages: 543-550

  Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) may treat various mental health conditions. Despite its promising therapeutic signal across mental health outcomes, less attention is paid on its potential to provide therapeutic benefits across complex medical situations within rehabilitation medicine. Persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) have a high prevalence of treatment-resistant mental health comorbidities that compound the extent of their physical disability. Reports from online discussion forums suggest that those living with SCI are using psychedelics, though the motivation for their use is unknown. These anecdotal reports describe a consistent phenomenon of neuromuscular and autonomic hypersensitivity to classical serotonergic psychedelics, such as psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Persons describe intense muscle spasms, sweating, and tremors, with an eventual return to baseline and no reports of worsening of their baseline neurological deficits. The discomfort experienced interferes with the subjective beneficial effects self-reported. This phenomenon has not been described previously in the academic literature. We aim to provide a descriptive review and explanatory theoretical framework hypothesizing this phenomenon as a peripherally dominant serotonin syndrome-like clinical picture-that should be considered as such when persons with SCI are exposed to classical psychedelics. Raising awareness of this syndrome may help our mechanistic understanding of serotonergic psychedelics and stimulate development of treatment protocols permitting persons with SCI to safely tolerate their adverse effects. As PAT transitions from research trials into accepted clinical and decriminalized use, efforts must be made from a harm reduction perspective to understand these adverse events, while also serving as an informed consent process aid if such therapeutic approaches are to be considered for use in persons living with SCI.

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