Psychedelic Medicine

Association

Psychedelics in developmental stuttering to modulate brain functioning: a new therapeutic perspective?

Excerpts from the publication

Developmental stuttering (DS) is a neurodevelopmental speech-motor disorder characterized by symptoms such as blocks, repetitions, and prolongations. Persistent DS often has a significant negative impact on quality of life, and interventions for it have limited efficacy. Herein, we briefly review existing research on the neurophysiological underpinnings of DS -specifically, brain metabolic and default mode/social-cognitive networks (DMN/SCN) anomalies- arguing that psychedelic compounds might be considered and investigated (e.g., in randomized clinical trials) for treatment of DS. The neural background of DS is likely to be heterogeneous, and some contribution from genetically determinants of metabolic deficiencies in the basal ganglia and speech-motor cortical regions are thought to play a role in appearance of DS symptoms, which possibly results in a cascade of events contributing to impairments in speech-motor execution. In persistent DS, the difficulties of speech are often linked to a series of associated aspects such as social anxiety and social avoidance. In this context, the SCN and DMN (also influencing a series of fronto-parietal, somato-motor, and attentional networks) may have a role in worsening dysfluencies. Interestingly, brain metabolism and SCN/DMN connectivity can be modified by psychedelics, which have been shown to improve clinical evidence of some psychiatric conditions (e.g., depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc.) associated with psychological constructs such as rumination and social anxiety, which also tend to be present in persistent DS. To date, while there have been no controlled trials on the effects of psychedelics in DS, anecdotal evidence suggests that these agents may have beneficial effects on stuttering and its associated characteristics. We suggest that psychedelics warrant investigation in DS.

Read more

MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of anxiety and other psychological distress related to life-threatening illnesses: a randomized pilot study

Holding on or letting go? Patient experiences of control, context, and care in oral esketamine treatment for treatment-resistant depression: A qualitative study

Dose-response relationships of LSD-induced subjective experiences in humans

Ketamine Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder: A Systematic Review

Can psychedelics enhance group psychotherapy? A discussion on the therapeutic factors

Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial.