Psychedelics Headlines: Anti-inflammatory Effects, Global Drug Survey, 'Synthetic Surprise,' UK's Harm Reduction Hub And More

Author: Lara Goldstein | January 26, 2024 01:33pm

Welcome to Benzinga’s psychedelics headlines roundup. This is our pick of must-read news items from weeks three and four of January 2024.

See previous edition Psychedelics Headlines: MDMA & Coping Skills In PTSD, LSD’s Perceived Risks, Knowledge Gaps, Surveys & More 

Research

• Renowned scientist Charles Nichols' Lab latest research on the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effects of psychedelics (read.)
• Trauma-Informed Care in Psychedelic Therapy Research: A Qualitative Literature Review of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Interventions in PTSD and Psychedelic Therapy Across Conditions (read.)
• Trends in hallucinogen-associated emergency department visits and hospitalizations in California, from 2016 to 2022 (read.)
• Social acceptability of psilocybin-assisted therapy for existential distress at the end of life: A population-based survey (read.)
• Effects of External Stimulation on Psychedelic State Neurodynamics (read.)
• Modern Psychedelic Microdosing Research on Mental Health: A Systematic Review (read.)
• Synthetic surprise as the foundation of the psychedelic experience (read.)
• Microdosing psychedelics and the risk of cardiac fibrosis and valvulopathy: Comparison to known cardiotoxins (read.)
• Amygdala response to emotional faces following acute administration of psilocybin in healthy individuals (read.)
• The latest issue of peer-reviewed, original research papers journal Psychedelic Medicine (Editor-in-Chief: Peter Hendricks, PhD and Charles Nichols, PhD) is out (read.)
• Spiritual health practitioners' contributions to psychedelic assisted therapy: A qualitative analysis (read.)
• The consciousness wars: can scientists ever agree on how the mind works? (read.)

Tune In, Get Smart

• University of Exeter is running a study looking at people's experience of ketamine addiction treatment (volunteer), where Dr Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes and others have launched the new online course "Psychedelics: Mind, Medicine, and Culture." 
• The Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center has started recruiting for a clinical trial on psilocybin's effects in depression and alcohol use disorder (volunteer.)
• The Global Drug Survey (largest survey on drug use in the world) has officially launched its 2024 edition (participate.)
• University of Texas and Clusterbusters are conducting a survey on cluster headache medication and psychedelic use (participate.)
• Ongoing clinical research on "Neural and Physiological Correlates of Psychedelic Sub-states", sponsored by famed researcher Robin-Carhart Harris is recruiting participants (volunteer.)
• ‘Landmark moment': UK's first regular drug testing service to open in Bristol, per The Guardian (read.)
• UK-based nonprofit Release Drugs is campaigning for funds toward creating a harm reduction hub in London (details.)
• The UN Human Rights Council will hold the discussion "Human rights challenges in addressing and countering all aspects of the world drug problem" on Feb. 5 (attend.)
• Jules Evans' next Psychedelic Safety Seminar on Feb. 8 will discuss how to make psychedelic churches legal and safe, and why psychedelic therapists and guides should watch out for malpractice suits (join.)
• Valentine’s Day event "Love and grief in the shadow of war" with Dr. Gabor Maté et al., hosted by The Psychedelic Society UK, with funds raised for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (join.)
• Mason Marks MD, JD will be speaking live and online Feb. 17 at Harvard Divinity School's "Psychedelic Intersections: Cross-cultural Manifestations of the Sacred" conference (join.)
• Researcher David B. Yaden will be speaking about measuring and characterizing the acute subjective effects of a psychedelic experience at University of Virginia Contemplative Sciences Center, March 14 (details.)
• Drug Science's latest podcast episode on psilocybin for OCD (listen.)
• Dr. Peter Grinspoon discussed microdosing at Psychedelic Science for the People's latest podcast (listen.)
• "AI Program Finds Thousands of Possible Psychedelics. Will They Lead to New Drugs?" (read.)
• According to POLITICO, psychedelics and drug policy reform will be one of the discussed topics of 2024 (read.)
• GOP Congressman Morgan Luttrell discussed psychedelics therapy journey, bipartisan military research win and future of plant-based medicine with Marijuana Moment (read.)
• "Inside Boston's Psychedelic Revolution," per Boston Magazine (read.)
• "Stop using wild San Pedro": 5 Questions for Josip Orlovac Del Río, interview by The Microdose (read.)
• Drug testing in Canberra reveals three recreational substances not previously seen in Australia, per The Guardian (read.)
• Spanish Police Bust Ayahuasca Syndicate for Unspecified Sex Crimes and Workers' Rights Violations, by DoubleBlind (read.)
• "The mysterious death of ketamine priestess Marcia Moore" by Ed Prideaux, James Penner and Jules Evans (read.)
• How Margaret Mead‘s research into utopias helped usher in the psychedelic era (listen.)
• "Leo Zeff and the Non-Directive Style of Being a Psychedelic Guide," by Lucid (read.)
• "Are Psychedelics an Antidote to Pessimism?" By Sam Woolfe (read.)

Panorama Pulse

• The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) launched a new version of its fiscal sponsorship program for innovators in the psychedelic movement.
• CNS disorders biotech Alto Neuroscience filed for a $100M IPO, targeting the NYSE.
• Psyence Group's (OTC:PSYGF) subsidiary Psyence Biomedical completed its business combination deal with Newcourt Acquisition and got approval to list on Nasdaq, following agreement for the issuance of convertible notes up to $10 million.
• SciSparc Ltd. (NASDAQ:SPRC) announced a $20 million standby equity purchase agreement.
• Seelos Therapeutics (NASDAQ:SEEL) announced a $4 million registered direct offering and private placement priced ATM under Nasdaq rules.
• Clearmind Medicine (NASDAQ:CMND) closed a $2.4 million registered direct and private placement, and announced the completion of a Type A Meeting with the FDA.
• Filament Health (OTCQB:FLHLF) completed its first export of botanical psilocybin to Australia to Reset Mind Sciences Ltd. for research purposes.
• GH Research (NASDAQ:GHRS) was granted a European patent covering all 5-MeO-DMT and related salt products for Major Depressive Disorder and Treatment-Resistant Depression treatment.
• Mental health services PBC Tara Mind secured $8 million to bring ketamine therapy to workplace benefits.
• Compass Pathways (NASDAQ:CMPS) signed a research collaboration deal with Hackensack Meridian Health to develop an "optimal clinical model" for psilocybin treatment.
• Awakn Life Sciences (OTC:AWKNF) successfully completed an investigative study to establish the dissociative effect of a novel sublingual S-ketamine oral thin film formulation in harmful drinkers.
• Optimi Health (OTC:OPTHF) received Canadian approval to increase quantities of MDMA, MDA, and 2C-B production.
• PharmAla Biotech (OTC:MDXXF) received a Canadian Controlled Drugs & Substances Dealer's License for selling MDMA and psilocybin.
• Mental health services provider Sheppard Pratt announced Dr. Matthew W. Johnson as senior researcher for its Center of Excellence for Psilocybin Research and Treatment.
• First edition of "Towards Drug Policy Justice: Harm Reduction, Human Rights and Changing Drug Policy Contexts" is out for purchase.
• Alex Stevens' "Drug Policy Constellations: The Role of Power and Morality in the Making of Drug Policy in the UK" will soon be published by Bristol Uni. Press (join launch on Feb. 1)

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