2024
Psychological flexibility as a mechanism of change in psilocybin-assisted therapy for major depression: results from an exploratory placebo-controlled trial
Sloshower J, Zeifman R, Guss J, Krause R, Safi-Aghdam H, Pathania S, Pittman B, D’Souza D. Psychological flexibility as a mechanism of change in psilocybin-assisted therapy for major depression: results from an exploratory placebo-controlled trial. Scientific Reports 2024, 14: 8833. PMID: 38632313, PMCID: PMC11024097, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58318-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPsilocybin-assisted therapyPsychological flexibilityDepression severityModerate to severe MDDSpectrum of neuropsychiatric conditionsTarget psychological flexibilityIncrease psychological flexibilityMental health conditionsManualized psychotherapyPsilocybin treatmentSevere MDDDepressive disorderExperiential acceptanceCommitment therapyDosing sessionsNeuropsychiatric conditionsPsychedelic trialsPlacebo-controlled trialWithin-subjectMDDPsilocybinAdministered placeboPlacebo-controlledDepressionClinical samples
2023
Sub-acute effects of psilocybin on EEG correlates of neural plasticity in major depression: Relationship to symptoms
Skosnik P, Sloshower J, Safi-Aghdam H, Pathania S, Syed S, Pittman B, D’Souza D. Sub-acute effects of psilocybin on EEG correlates of neural plasticity in major depression: Relationship to symptoms. Journal Of Psychopharmacology 2023, 37: 687-697. PMID: 37392016, DOI: 10.1177/02698811231179800.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAntidepressant effectsTheta powerMajor depressive disorderEffects of psilocybinSub-acute effectsLong-term alterationsMeasures of depressionSingle doseDepressive disorderMajor depressionDepressive symptomsPlaceboSymptoms 2Depression symptomsEEG theta powerNeural plasticityNeuroplasticityEEG biomarkersSymptomsSerotonergic psychedelicsPotential mechanismsDepressionSustained changesElectroencephalographic correlatesPsilocybinPsilocybin-assisted therapy for major depressive disorder: An exploratory placebo-controlled, fixed-order trial
Sloshower J, Skosnik P, Safi-Aghdam H, Pathania S, Syed S, Pittman B, D’Souza D. Psilocybin-assisted therapy for major depressive disorder: An exploratory placebo-controlled, fixed-order trial. Journal Of Psychopharmacology 2023, 37: 698-706. PMID: 36938991, DOI: 10.1177/02698811231154852.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMajor depressive disorderAntidepressant effectsDepressive disorderSevere major depressive disorderPsilocybin-assisted therapyEarly phase studiesQuality of lifeClinical improvementDosing sessionsMajor depressionPsilocybin administrationPlacebo effectPsychotherapeutic supportPlaceboTherapy effectsStudy periodPsychotherapy studiesFurther studiesSignificant differencesDepressionDosingTherapyHigh rateEffect sizeDegree of change
2022
Exploratory study of the dose-related safety, tolerability, and efficacy of dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in healthy volunteers and major depressive disorder
D’Souza D, Syed SA, Flynn LT, Safi-Aghdam H, Cozzi NV, Ranganathan M. Exploratory study of the dose-related safety, tolerability, and efficacy of dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in healthy volunteers and major depressive disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022, 47: 1854-1862. PMID: 35660802, PMCID: PMC9372173, DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01344-y.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMajor depressive disorderHealthy controlsAntidepressant effectsDosing sessionsPsychotomimetic effectsDepressive disorderAbuse liabilityTreatment-resistant major depressive disorderDose-related safetyTreatment-resistant individualsMDD participantsPhase 1 studyHAMD-17 scoresTreatment of depressionFurther rigorous trialsMin of injectionExploratory pilot studyPsychedelic drugsAdverse eventsBlood pressureHAMD-17Cardiovascular functionRigorous trialsHealthy volunteersHeart rate
2017
Effect of Antidepressant Switching vs Augmentation on Remission Among Patients With Major Depressive Disorder Unresponsive to Antidepressant Treatment: The VAST-D Randomized Clinical Trial
Mohamed S, Johnson GR, Chen P, Hicks PB, Davis LL, Yoon J, Gleason TC, Vertrees JE, Weingart K, Tal I, Scrymgeour A, Lawrence DD, Planeta B, Thase ME, Huang GD, Zisook S, Rao S, Pilkinton P, Wilcox J, Iranmanesh A, Sapra M, Jurjus G, Michalets J, Aslam M, Beresford T, Anderson K, Fernando R, Ramaswamy S, Kasckow J, Westermeyer J, Yoon G, D’Souza D, Larson G, Anderson W, Klatt M, Fareed A, Thompson S, Carrera C, Williams S, Juergens T, Albers L, Nasdahl C, Villarreal G, Winston J, Nogues C, Connolly K, Tapp A, Jones K, Khatkhate G, Marri S, Suppes T, LaMotte J, Hurley R, Mayeda A, Niculescu A, Fischer B, Loreck D, Rosenlicht N, Lieske S, Finkel M, Little J. Effect of Antidepressant Switching vs Augmentation on Remission Among Patients With Major Depressive Disorder Unresponsive to Antidepressant Treatment: The VAST-D Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA 2017, 318: 132-145. PMID: 28697253, PMCID: PMC5817471, DOI: 10.1001/jama.2017.8036.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMajor depressive disorderAcute treatment phaseDepressive disorderSwitch groupAdverse effectsTreatment phaseUS Veterans Health Administration medical centersVeterans Health Administration medical centersNonpsychotic major depressive disorderWeeks of treatmentEffects of antidepressantsLikelihood of remissionSignificant treatment differencesBupropion monotherapyRandomized patientsRemission rateBupropion groupSecondary outcomesPrimary outcomeAtypical antipsychoticsDifferent antidepressantsFirst antidepressantClinical trialsCurrent treatmentMedical Center