Psychedelics therapeutics: What we know, what we think, and what we need to research
Open accessAbstract
Psychedelic therapy is perhaps the most exciting new development in psychiatry. Not only does it offer a radical new approach to treatment where mainstream approaches have proven ineffective, but the growing evidence for transdiagnostic efficacy is eliciting a re-think of current diagnostic and symptom-specific approaches to psychiatry. This excitement has led to a massive investment in this field with many tens of new pharmaceutical companies being set up to research the effects of known psychedelics and develop new patentable molecules. Whilst this enthusiasm is to be welcomed, it is important that new research is properly grounded in established facts and reflects current knowledge. In this commentary we lay out the knowledge framework that should be taken into account by all innovative researchers in this field.
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Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is demonstrating promising outcomes in treating a wide range of mental health issues, suggesting its efficacy may be transdiagnostic.
“PAP is demonstrating promising outcomes in treating a wide range of mental health issues, ranging from depression to post-traumatic stress disorder, suggesting this efficacy may be transdiagnostic (20, 21).”
From Ayahuasca-assisted meaning reconstruction therapy for grief: a non-randomized clinical trial protocol (2025) · cites this paper as [20]
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“PAP is demonstrating promising outcomes in treating a wide range of mental health issues, ranging from depression to post-traumatic stress disorder, suggesting this ef fi cacy may be transdiagnostic (20, 21).”
- Authors
- Nutt, D., Spriggs, M., & Erritzoe, D.
- Affiliations
- Imperial College London (GB)
- Venue
- Neuropharmacology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2023-02
- Volume
- 223
- Pages
- 109257
- ISSN
- 0028-3908 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4297373842
- Cited by
- 84
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 42 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 1
- FWCI
- 3.04
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Neuropharmacology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (ACF-2013-21-501, CL-2017-21-004)
- Academy of Medical Sciences (SGL019\1063)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychedelics and Drug Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Keywords
- psychedelics, psychedelic therapy, psychiatric treatment, psychiatric diagnosis, knowledge framework, research priorities
- MeSH terms
- Hallucinogens, Psychiatry
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