The Role of Cannabis within an Emerging Perspective on Schizophrenia Jegason P. Diviant, Jacob M. Vigil, and Sarah S. Stith Medicines, 2018, 5, 86, 1-11. doi : 10.3390/medicines5030086 Abstract Background : Approximately 0.5% of the population is diagnosed with some form of schizophrenia, under the prevailing view that the pathology is best treated using pharmaceutical medications that act on monoamine receptors. Methods : We briefly review evidence on the impact of environmental forces, particularly the effect of autoimmune activity, in the expression of schizophrenic profiles and the role of Cannabis therapy for regulating immunological functioning. Results : A review of the literature shows that phytocannabinoid consumption may [...]
Lire la suiteIncreased amygdala responses to emotional faces after psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression Leor Roseman, Lysia Demetriou, Matthew B. Wall, David J. Nutt, Robin L. Carhart-Harris Neuropharmacology, 2018, 142, 263e269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.12.041 Abstract Recent evidence indicates that psilocybin with psychological support may be effective for treating depression. Some studies have found that patients with depression show heightened amygdala responses to fearful faces and there is reliable evidence that treatment with SSRIs attenuates amygdala responses (Ma, 2015). We hypothesised that amygdala responses to emotional faces would be altered post treatment with psilocybin. In this open-label study, 20 individuals diagnosed with moderate to severe, treatment-resistant depression, underwent two separate dosing [...]
Lire la suiteSome distorted thoughts about ketamine as a psychedelic and a novel hypothesis based on NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic plasticity Rachael Ingram, Heather Kang, Stafford Lightman, David E. Jane, Zuner A. Bortolotto, Graham L. Collingridge, David Lodge, Arturas Volianskis Neuropharmacology, 2018, 142, 30e40 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.06.008 Abstract Ketamine, a channel blocking NMDA receptor antagonist, is used off-label for its psychedelic effects, which may arise from a combination of several inter-related actions. Firstly, reductions of the contribution of NMDA receptors to afferent information from external and internal sensory inputs may distort sensations and their processing in higher brain centres. Secondly, reductions of NMDA receptormediated excitation of GABAergic interneurons can result in [...]
Lire la suiteAlkaloids Derived from Tryptophan : Harmine and Related Alkaloids T. D. Nikam, K. M. Nitnaware, and M. L. Ahire chapter 19, in K.G. Ramawat, J.M. Merillon (eds.), Natural Products, # Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, 2013 Doi : 10.1007/978-3-642-22144-6_20 Contents 1 Synonyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 554 2 [...]
Lire la suiteCannabinoids, Neurogenesis and Antidepressant Drugs : Is there a Link ? Manoela Viar Fogaça, Ismael Galve-Roperh, Francisco Silveira Guimarães and Alline Cristina Campos Current Neuropharmacology, 2013, 11, 263-275 Abstract Similar to clinically used antidepressants, cannabinoids can also regulate anxiety and depressive symptoms. Although the mechanisms of these effects are not completely understood, recent evidence suggests that changes in endocannabinoid system could be involved in some actions of antidepressants. Chronic antidepressant treatment modifies the expression of CB1 receptors and endocannabinoid (EC) content in brain regions related to mood and anxiety control. Moreover, both antidepressant and cannabinoids activate mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and phosphoinositide 3- kinase(PI3 [...]
Lire la suiteRole of the Endocannabinoid System in the Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia: Implications for Pharmacological Intervention F.M. Leweke, J.K. Mueller, B.Lange, S. Fritze, C.E. Topor, D. Koethe, C. Rohleder CNS Drugs, 2018 Jul;32(7):605-619. doi: 10.1007/s40263-018-0539-z. Abstract The term schizophrenia describes a group of multifaceted psychiatric conditions causing significant impairment of the quality of life of affected patients. Although multiple pharmacological treatment options exist, e.g. first- or second-generation antipsychotics, these therapeutics often cause disturbing side effects, such as extrapyramidal symptoms, prolactin increase, sexual dysfunction and/or metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, cognitive impairments and negative symptoms, two factors significantly influencing the course and outcome, are not sufficiently addressed by the available [...]
Lire la suiteCommon neural signatures of psychedelics : Frequency-specific energy changes and repertoire expansion revealed using connectome-harmonic decomposition Selen Atasoy, Jakub Vohryzek, Gustavo Deco, Robin L. Carhart-Harris, Morten L. Kringelbach Progress in Brain Research, 2018, Volume 242,97- https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.08.009 ISSN 0079-6123 © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Abstract The search for the universal laws of human brain function is still on-going but progress is being made. Here we describe the novel concepts of connectome harmonics and connectomeharmonic decomposition, which can be used to characterize the brain activity associated with any mental state. We use this new frequency-specific language to describe the brain activity elicited by psilocybin and LSD [...]
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