(Press-News.org) Psychedelic drugs are seeing a surge of interest from mainstream medicine, and initial results suggest that psychedelic-therapy can be a safe and effective treatment for some mental health conditions. However, the side-effect profile is still incompletely understood. In particular, the use of psychedelics has been posited to carry a risk of triggering latent psychotic disorders or persistent visual hallucination, known as Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD). In order to better understand the prevalence and risk factors of such side-effects, Katie Zhou and colleagues surveyed 654 people online who were planning to take psychedelics through their own initiative. Of those, 315 people were resurveyed two weeks after their experience and 212 people were resurveyed again four weeks after their experience. The sample was 74% male, and 77% university educated. About one third had been diagnosed with at least one psychiatric condition. The authors found a weak correlation between lifetime psychedelic use and both delusional ideation and magical thinking. However, on average, delusional ideation was slightly reduced one month after psychedelic use. These results suggest that schizotypal traits may not be caused by taking LSD or magic mushrooms, in keeping with the principle that correlation does not imply causation. About a third of individuals surveyed at the four-week mark did have some lingering hallucinatory sensory experiences, such as intensified colors and afterimages. However, the majority of those who experienced this did not report being distressed by it. The strongest predictors of persistent visual aftereffects were the personality trait absorption—the tendency to be easily immersed in sensory or imaginative experiences—and younger age. This corroborates previous findings showing that young people and adolescents may be at a particular risk of HPPD. According to the authors, empirical scrutiny of the potential risks of psychedelics should accompany changes in policy and access to psychedelic drugs.
END
Predicting long-term psychedelic side-effects
Schizotypal traits may not be caused by taking LSD or magic mushrooms
2025-04-22
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Carnegie Mellon researchers create transformable flat-to-shape objects using sewing technology
2025-04-22
Researchers from the Human Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) and Robotics Institute (RI) at Carnegie Mellon University introduced a novel method for fabricating functional flat-to-shape objects using a computer-controlled sewing machine.
The team includes Sapna Tayal, undergraduate student in the School of Design; Lea Albaugh, Mark Stehlik postdoctoral teaching fellow at HCII; James McCann, associate professor in RI; and Scott E. Hudson, professor and associate department head for education in HCII.
“Flat-to-shape” refers to objects that can be transformed from a flat sheet into a three-dimensional form through ...
Preventing cellular senescence to prevent neuroinflammation
2025-04-22
A study in mice suggests that senescent cells are at least partially responsible for post-surgical delirium and similar conditions in elderly people—and identifies a combination of drugs that might be able to prevent the complication.
Elderly people sometimes experience neurocognitive problems after infections or surgeries. Shyni Varghese and colleagues investigated the role of cellular senescence in the neuroinflammation that occurs in these cases. Cellular senescence is a normal process that helps prevent abnormal cell proliferation, but it can also occur in response to stress. Senescent cells stop dividing and typically secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines and other molecules ...
Tuning in to blood glucose for simpler early diabetes detection
2025-04-22
The highs and lows of blood glucose aren’t just an energy rollercoaster; they could be a key to detecting diabetes risk early and spare you a needle prick or two.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have identified a simple, noninvasive method for assessing blood glucose regulation — an essential factor in diabetes risk. Their approach, based on continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data, could improve early detection and risk assessment for diabetes without relying on blood samples and expensive or complex procedures.
The ...
NUS Medicine and HeyVenus study: Menopause is a critical workplace challenge for APAC business leaders
2025-04-22
While much of the global research on menopause has focused on Western populations, the unique cultural, genetic, and lifestyle factors affecting Asian women during menopause have been largely overlooked. Key findings from a new white paper that surveyed 1,741 working women across five major Asia Pacific (APAC) countries—Singapore, Vietnam, Australia, Japan, and Indonesia titled ‘Menopause and the Bottom Line: A Critical Leadership Challenge for APAC Leaders’, published by NUS Bia-Echo Asia Centre for Reproductive Longevity and Equality (ACRLE) at the NUS ...
Insects are disappearing due to agriculture – and many other drivers, new research reveals
2025-04-22
Insects are disappearing at an alarming rate worldwide, but why? Agricultural intensification tops the list of proposed reasons, but there are many other, interconnected drivers that have an impact, according to new research led by Binghamton University, State University of New York.
Research on insect decline has surged in recent years, sparked by an alarming 2017 study that suggested that insect populations had declined by 75% in less than three decades. This has led to countless published papers, with scientists hypothesizing different ...
Blends of child and best friend, with power imbalance: How dogs fit into our social networks
2025-04-22
Many people view their dog as a family member, friend, or kid, but does the relationship with them really resemble these human relationships? Researchers from ELTE Eötvös Loránd University now set out to explore the precise role dogs play in human social networks by comparing human-dog relationships with human-human relationships using 13 relationship scales.
Their study revealed that the owner-dog relationship can be interpreted as a mix of child and best friend relationships, combining positive aspects of the child relationship with the lack of negative aspects of friendship, blended with a high level of control over the dog. Interestingly, ...
Transgene-free genome editing in poplar trees: A step toward sustainable forestry
2025-04-22
Scientists at the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology and VIVES University College have developed a new method to genetically improve poplar trees without introducing foreign DNA into its genome. This advancement could pave the way for faster and more widely accepted use of gene-edited trees in forestry and the bio-based economy. The work appeared in New Phytologist.
Gene editing without the baggage
Gene editing tools like CRISPR are revolutionizing plant science by allowing precise and targeted improvements ...
Single-dose psychedelic boosts brain flexibility for weeks, peer-reviewed study finds
2025-04-22
ANN ARBOR, Michigan, USA, 22 April 2025 – In a groundbreaking research study, University of Michigan researchers have discovered that a single dose of a psychedelic compound can enhance cognitive flexibility—the brain's ability to adapt to changing circumstances—for weeks after administration, potentially revolutionizing treatments for depression, PTSD, and neurodegenerative diseases.
The study, published today in the journal Psychedelics, demonstrates that mice treated with a single dose of 25CN-NBOH, a selective serotonin 2A receptor agonist, showed markedly ...
Sex differences drive substance use patterns in panic disorder patients
2025-04-22
PISCATAWAY, New Jersey, USA, 22 April 2025 – In a comprehensive Genomic Press peer-reviewed research article, researchers have revealed compelling evidence that biological sex significantly influences substance use patterns among individuals with panic disorder, with implications for both clinical assessment and treatment strategies.
The noteworthy study, published today in the journal Genomic Psychiatry, examined associations between panic disorder and both alcohol and tobacco use disorders in a demographically diverse sample of nearly 11,000 individuals. The research team, led by Dr. Michele Pato from Rutgers University, ...
Multi-omics meets immune profiling in the quest to decode disease risk
2025-04-22
NANTES, France, 22 April 2025 – In a wide-ranging Genomic Press Interview, Dr. Jeremie Poschmann of INSERM and Université de Nantes shares the story behind his bold, data-centric approach to immunology and translational science. The conversation, published in Genomic Psychiatry as part of the Innovators & Ideas series, explores how Dr. Poschmann’s unconventional path—from nurse to systems biologist—has uniquely shaped his research into the circulating immune system.
His lab focuses on the molecular analysis of blood-derived immune cells using multi-omics tools, ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Freeze-framing the cellular world to capture a fleeting moment of cellular activity
Computer hardware advance solves complex optimization problems
SOX2: a key player in prostate cancer progression and treatment resistance
Unlocking the potential of the non-coding genome for precision medicine
Chitinase-3-like protein 1: a novel biomarker for liver disease diagnosis and management
The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: August 22, 2025
Charisma Virtual Social Coaching named a finalist for Global Innovation Award
From the atmosphere to the abyss: Iron's role in Earth's climate history
US oil and gas air pollution causes unequal health impacts
Scientists reveal how microbes collaborate to consume potent greenhouse gas
UMass Amherst kinesiologist receives $2 million ‘outstanding researcher’ award from NIH
Wildfire peer review report for land Brandenburg, Germany, is now online
Wired by nature: Precision molecules for tomorrow's electronics
New study finds hidden body fat is linked to faster heart ageing
How a gift card could help speed up Alzheimer’s clinical research
Depression and anxiety symptoms in adults displaced by natural disasters
Cardiovascular health at the intersection of race and gender in Medicare fee for service
World’s first observation of the transverse Thomson effect
Powerful nodes for quantum networks
Mapping fat: How microfluidics and mass spectrometry reveal lipid landscapes in tiny worms
ATOX1 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma carcinogenesis via activation of the c-Myb/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway
Colibactin-producing E. coli linked to higher colorectal cancer risk in FAP patients
Animal protein not linked to higher mortality risk, study finds
Satellite insights into eutrophication trends on the Qinghai–Tibet plateau
Researchers develop an innovative method for large-scale analysis of metabolites in biological samples
Asteroid Bennu is a time capsule of materials bearing witness to its origin and transformation over billions of years
New AI model can help extend life and increase safety of electric vehicle batteries
Wildfires can raise local death rate by 67%, shows study on 2023 Hawaiʻi fires
Yogurt and hot spring bathing show a promising combination for gut health
Study explains how lymphoma rewires human genome
[Press-News.org] Predicting long-term psychedelic side-effectsSchizotypal traits may not be caused by taking LSD or magic mushrooms