hallucinogens

Nutt et al 2010

Assessed 16 drugs based on 20 criteria of harms to self and others, magic mushrooms were the least harmful

• current UK drug classifications poorly correlate with these findings

Ross et al 2016

In clinical trials, 87% of ppts attributed their increase in life satisfaction or wellbeing to psychospiritual experience

(LSD) Carhart-Harris et al 2016

fMRI results suggesting that LSD increases communication between normally segregated brain networks

• magnitude of this effect was correlated with strength of subjective ‘ego dissolution’ and feelings of oneness

= Implications for benefits in psychotherapy to break free from rigid cognition, thought to underlie depression and anxiety

(LSD) Carhart-Harris et al 2016 critical analysis

+Compared placebo and LSD

-Small number of ppts

-Unpredictable drugs - taking drugs in fMRI is unrealistic of how they would be administered in a therapy setting

-Unsure of the long-term effects / benefits

Gasser et al 2014

Found that LSD assisted psychotherapy reduced trait anxiety and significantly reduced state anxiety at 2 month follow-up, and these reductions persisted for 12 months

• no acute or chronic adverse effects persisted beyond 1 day after treatment and no treatment-related serious adverse events

Gasser et al 2014 critical analysis

+Demonstrated that LSD is safe for clinical trials - useful for future research and may allow for larger controlled studies

-Blinding issues

(Psilocybin) Carhart-Harris et al (2016)

Administration of oral psilocybin alongside psychological support, found reduced depression severity for several weeks post-therapy

(Psilocybin) Carhart-Harris et al (2016) critical analysis

+Confirmed safety of psilocybin in clinical research - suggests that more research can be conducted, with the use of more rigour

-Small sample size

-No control group, placebo or blinding

-Open label - ppts were aware they aware they were going to receive psilocybin