2024
Novel Pharmacologic and Other Somatic Treatment Approaches for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Adults: State of the Evidence
Sippel L, Hamblen J, Kelmendi B, Alpert J, Carpenter L, Grzenda A, Kraguljac N, McDonald W, Rodriguez C, Widge A, Nemeroff C, Schnurr P, Holtzheimer P, Biomarkers and Treatments T. Novel Pharmacologic and Other Somatic Treatment Approaches for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Adults: State of the Evidence. American Journal Of Psychiatry 2024, 181: 1045-1058. PMID: 39616450, DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20230950.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderStress disorderPathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorderNon-trauma-focused psychotherapyTrauma-focused psychotherapySomatic treatment approachesEvidence-based treatmentsAntidepressant medicationSomatic treatmentsPsychiatric disordersSomatic interventionsTranscranial magnetic stimulationPsychotherapyMagnetic stimulationTreatment approachesDisordersRecommended first-line treatmentAdultsFirst-line treatmentMedicationMechanism of actionMonotherapy strategySalienceSpecific treatmentEvidencePsychedelic medicine in psychiatry residency training: a survey of psychiatric residency program directors
Yaden M, Ching T, Goldway N, Roberts D, Hokanson J, Gukasyan N, Pittenger C, Kelmendi B, Ross S, Glick G, O’Donnell K. Psychedelic medicine in psychiatry residency training: a survey of psychiatric residency program directors. International Review Of Psychiatry 2024, ahead-of-print: 1-6. DOI: 10.1080/09540261.2024.2397039.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchResidency trainingTraining psychiatry residentsAvailability of facultyTraining directorsRespondents answered questionsPsychedelic medicineEndorsed concernsResidency training directorsResidency program directorsPsychiatry residency training directorsEducational materialsPsychiatry residency trainingPsychiatry residentsProgram directorsPsychiatric educationOnline surveyStandard curriculumEducation providersCurricular materialsEducational opportunitiesTrainingPsychedelic interventionsEducationSurveyMedicineMechanisms of therapeutic change after psychedelic treatment in OCD
Maloney G, Ching T, Kichuk S, Pittenger C, Kelmendi B. Mechanisms of therapeutic change after psychedelic treatment in OCD. Psychiatry Research 2024, 336: 115907. PMID: 38615521, PMCID: PMC11190873, DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115907.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsObsessive-compulsive disorderMechanisms of therapeutic changeAversive eventsImagery rescriptingPsychedelic treatmentPsychotherapeutic treatmentPsychotherapeutic frameworkSymptom reductionTherapeutic changePsychotherapyNegative emotionsPsychological mechanismsCore beliefsPilot dataNovel treatmentRescriptingEmotionsDisordersSymptomsReprocessingTreatmentBeliefsResistance to first-lineIndividualsInterventionCorrigendum: Safety, feasibility, tolerability, and clinical effects of repeated psilocybin dosing combined with non-directive support in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: protocol for a randomized, waitlist-controlled trial with blinded ratings
Ching T, Amoroso L, Bohner C, D'Amico E, Eilbott J, Entezar T, Fitzpatrick M, Fram G, Grazioplene R, Hokanson J, Jankovsky A, Kichuk S, Martins B, Patel P, Schaer H, Shnayder S, Witherow C, Pittenger C, Kelmendi B. Corrigendum: Safety, feasibility, tolerability, and clinical effects of repeated psilocybin dosing combined with non-directive support in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: protocol for a randomized, waitlist-controlled trial with blinded ratings. Frontiers In Psychiatry 2024, 15: 1372373. PMID: 38435972, PMCID: PMC10905264, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1372373.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMethylone is a rapid-acting neuroplastogen with less off-target activity than MDMA
Warner-Schmidt J, Stogniew M, Mandell B, Rowland R, Schmidt E, Kelmendi B. Methylone is a rapid-acting neuroplastogen with less off-target activity than MDMA. Frontiers In Neuroscience 2024, 18: 1353131. PMID: 38389788, PMCID: PMC10882719, DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1353131.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPost-traumatic stress disorderTreatment of post-traumatic stress disorderFrontal cortexBrain areasMDMA-assisted psychotherapyEffects of methyloneMonoamine uptake inhibitorsNeuroplasticity-related genesMyelin-related genesAntidepressant-likeAnxiolytic effectsBrain substratesStress disorderPsychiatric disordersNeuropsychiatric disordersUptake inhibitorsBrain effectsAvailable pharmacotherapiesMDMAMDDEmotional learningMethyloneAmygdalaGene expression changesDisordersSafety, feasibility, tolerability, and clinical effects of repeated psilocybin dosing combined with non-directive support in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: protocol for a randomized, waitlist-controlled trial with blinded ratings
Ching T, Amoroso L, Bohner C, D’Amico E, Eilbott J, Entezar T, Fitzpatrick M, Fram G, Grazioplene R, Hokanson J, Jankovsky A, Kichuk S, Martins B, Patel P, Schaer H, Shnayder S, Witherow C, Pittenger C, Kelmendi B. Safety, feasibility, tolerability, and clinical effects of repeated psilocybin dosing combined with non-directive support in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: protocol for a randomized, waitlist-controlled trial with blinded ratings. Frontiers In Psychiatry 2024, 14: 1278823. PMID: 38264632, PMCID: PMC10803438, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1278823.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchObsessive-compulsive disorderPrimary outcomeNon-directive supportClinical effectsTreatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorderRefractory obsessive-compulsive disorderSingle-dose trialBlinded ratingsWaitlist-controlled trialDose selection strategiesOCD symptom reductionTreatment of OCDEffects of psilocybinSingle-site trialOCD symptomsInstitutional review boardBlinded independent ratersTrials of psilocybinYale-Brown ObsessiveWaitlist control designPrimary endpointMore dosesFuture trialsSingle dosePsilocybin treatmentPsilocybin and other Psychedelics
Kaye A, Kelmendi B, Rivera M, Pittenger C. Psilocybin and other Psychedelics. 2024 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-95702-1.00178-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPsychedelic drugsSerotonin 5-HT2A receptorsHuman neuroimaging studiesAlcohol use disorderPatterns of activityTransdiagnostic efficacyDepressive disorderPsychedelic agentsClassic psychedelicsNeuroimaging studiesMode networkUse disorderPsychedelic propertiesPsychotherapeutic supportAssociation cortexPsilocybinPsychological effectsPsychedelicsDifferential effectsHealing contextControlled Substances ActDisordersPotential therapeutic useControlled studiesSerotonin
2023
What Is in a Name? The Many Meanings of “Psychedelic”
O'Donnell K, Roberts D, Ching T, Glick G, Goldway N, Gukasyan N, Hokansen J, Kelmendi B, Ross S, Yaden M, Pittenger C. What Is in a Name? The Many Meanings of “Psychedelic”. Psychedelic Medicine 2023, 1: 187-189. DOI: 10.1089/psymed.2023.0011.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFrontopolar multifocal transcranial direct current stimulation reduces conditioned fear reactivity during extinction training: A pilot randomized controlled trial
Adams T, Kelmendi B, George J, Forte J, Hubert T, Wild H, Rippey C, Pittenger C. Frontopolar multifocal transcranial direct current stimulation reduces conditioned fear reactivity during extinction training: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Neurobiology Of Learning And Memory 2023, 205: 107825. PMID: 37699439, PMCID: PMC10872945, DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2023.107825.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTranscranial direct current stimulationSkin conductance responsesExtinction trainingDirect current stimulationExtinction learningCurrent stimulationReturn of fearFear extinction paradigmInhibition of fearFear extinction learningExposure-based therapyTreatment of anxietyFear inhibitionThreat cuesSafety learningExtinction paradigmFear reactivityFear processingConductance responsesExtinction trialsFunctional connectivityElectrodermal activityMixed ANOVARelated disordersAnxietySafety, tolerability, and clinical and neural effects of single-dose psilocybin in obsessive–compulsive disorder: protocol for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, non-crossover trial
Ching T, Grazioplene R, Bohner C, Kichuk S, DePalmer G, D’Amico E, Eilbott J, Jankovsky A, Burke M, Hokanson J, Martins B, Witherow C, Patel P, Amoroso L, Schaer H, Pittenger C, Kelmendi B. Safety, tolerability, and clinical and neural effects of single-dose psilocybin in obsessive–compulsive disorder: protocol for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, non-crossover trial. Frontiers In Psychiatry 2023, 14: 1178529. PMID: 37181888, PMCID: PMC10166878, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1178529.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchObsessive-compulsive disorderPrimary endpointPsilocybin effectsNeural effectsRefractory obsessive-compulsive disorderNon-crossover designOpen-label doseStandard care treatmentOpen-label studyVisual analog scale ratingsTreatment of OCDEffects of psilocybinOCD symptomsInstitutional review boardYale-Brown ObsessivePrimary outcomeSingle doseCare treatmentOral psilocybinInformed consentReview boardNeurobiological mechanismsCompulsive ScalePsychological supportTrialsPharmacological effects of methylone and MDMA in humans
Poyatos L, Pérez-Mañá C, Hladun O, Núñez-Montero M, de la Rosa G, Martín S, Barriocanal A, Carabias L, Kelmendi B, Taoussi O, Busardò F, Fonseca F, Torrens M, Pichini S, Farré M, Papaseit E. Pharmacological effects of methylone and MDMA in humans. Frontiers In Pharmacology 2023, 14: 1122861. PMID: 36873994, PMCID: PMC9981643, DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1122861.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAddiction Research Center InventoryVisual analog scaleSubjective effectsClinical trialsPharmacological effectsAbuse potentialAcute pharmacological effectsCrossover clinical trialSingle oral doseMechanism of actionBlood pressureEffect profileOral doseAnalog scaleOral administrationHeart ratePrevious historyPsychostimulant usePsychomotor performanceOverall onsetPleasurable effectsMDMAPhysiological effectsShort formEarly disappearancePilot study suggests DNA methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) is associated with MDMA-assisted therapy treatment response for severe PTSD
Lewis C, Tafur J, Spencer S, Green J, Harrison C, Kelmendi B, Rabin D, Yehuda R, Yazar-Klosinski B, Cahn B. Pilot study suggests DNA methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) is associated with MDMA-assisted therapy treatment response for severe PTSD. Frontiers In Psychiatry 2023, 14: 959590. PMID: 36815187, PMCID: PMC9939628, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.959590.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPost-traumatic stress disorderSevere post-traumatic stress disorderTreatment responseClinical trialsRecent phase 3 clinical trialsPhase 3 clinical trialsClinician-Administered PTSD ScaleParent clinical trialKey HPA axis genesHPA axis genesPTSD symptom improvementGlucocorticoid receptor geneFalse discovery rate correctionAdrenal genesPlacebo groupSymptom improvementLarge cohortMethylation changesEpigenetic changesSymptom reductionPTSD ScaleTherapyHPA genesStress disorderPilot studyMethylone, a rapid acting entactogen with robust anxiolytic and antidepressant-like activity
Warner-Schmidt J, Pittenger C, Stogniew M, Mandell B, Olmstead S, Kelmendi B. Methylone, a rapid acting entactogen with robust anxiolytic and antidepressant-like activity. Frontiers In Psychiatry 2023, 13: 1041277. PMID: 36704743, PMCID: PMC9873307, DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1041277.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchForced Swim TestAntidepressant-like effectsMajor depressive disorderPost-traumatic stress disorderSingle doseAnxiolytic effectsSelective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressantsFirst-line pharmacological treatmentSerotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressantsAntidepressant-like responsePhase 1 studyDoses of fluoxetineReuptake inhibitor antidepressantsAntidepressant-like activityInitial clinical findingsClinical case seriesOnset of actionDurability of effectMale Sprague-DawleyDose-response relationshipSSRI fluoxetineMost patientsSSRI treatmentInhibitor antidepressantsCase series
2022
Single-dose psilocybin for treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder: A case report
Kelmendi B, Kichuk S, DePalmer G, Maloney G, Ching T, Belser A, Pittenger C. Single-dose psilocybin for treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder: A case report. Heliyon 2022, 8: e12135. PMID: 36536916, PMCID: PMC9758406, DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12135.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchObsessive-compulsive disorderTreatment of OCDPsychedelic treatmentTreatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorderRefractory obsessive-compulsive disorderOCD symptomsPsychological effectsSerotonin systemSingle experimental studyRecreational usersBrain serotonin systemTreatment of patientsClassic psychedelicsQuality of lifePsilocybinSymptomatic improvementCase reportClinical dataTherapeutic potentialEmotionsPatientsDisordersTreatmentNumber of conditionsCompulsionImagery Rescripting (ImRs) as an Adjunctive Treatment to Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)-Resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Case Study
Maloney G, Kelmendi B, Pittenger C. Imagery Rescripting (ImRs) as an Adjunctive Treatment to Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)-Resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Case Study. Clinical Case Studies 2022, 22: 174-191. DOI: 10.1177/15346501221123797.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchObsessive-compulsive disorderTreatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorderResponse preventionOCD symptomsERP treatmentFirst-line psychological treatmentImagery rescriptingCompulsive checkingResistant obsessive-compulsive disorderPsychological treatmentSelective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) pharmacotherapyBehavior therapyOCD sufferersLife satisfactionInterpersonal relationshipsERPTranscript excerptsTherapy adjunctInitial researchRescriptingCognitiveFurther researchIndividualsDisordersSpecific types
2018
The Role of Stress in the Pathogenesis and Maintenance of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Adams T, Kelmendi B, Brake C, Gruner P, Badour C, Pittenger C. The Role of Stress in the Pathogenesis and Maintenance of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Chronic Stress 2018, 2: 2470547018758043. PMID: 29527593, PMCID: PMC5841259, DOI: 10.1177/2470547018758043.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchOnset of symptomsOCD symptomatologyNeuronal hypertrophyNeuronal atrophyPathophysiological relationshipLimbic circuitsLimbic circuitryFrontal cortexDorsolateral striatumPsychosocial stressGoal-directed learningNeural abnormalitiesPsychiatric symptomatologyDorsomedial striatumPreclinical researchNonspecific factorsRole of stressSymptomsCompulsive disorderSymptomatologyStriatumOCD symptomsPathogenesisIndependent causeTraumatic incidents