Trials testing psychedelics for treating substance abuse disorders

Clinical Research News highlighted a presentation from the University of Cincinnati's Davide Amato and Jon Kostas, executive director of the Association for Prescription Psychedelics, discussing current trials testing psychedelics to treat substance use disorders. Amato and Kostas spoke at the Center for Addiction Research's Summer Speaker Series Aug. 13.

Amato gave an overview of the history of psychedelics and research on their use to treat substance use disorder. He noted former names for the class of drugs such as "psychotomimetics" and "hallucinogens" can be misleading.

“In the context of psychosis, altered perception is very different,” said Amato, PhD, associate professor in UC's James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy. He said psychosis is diagnosed based on persistent symptoms including delusions and a loss of adherence to reality, while psychedelic experiences can be marked by increased ratings in positive attitudes, mood and social effects.

Amato and his colleagues are publishing research soon that summarizes current studies registered at ClinicalTrials.gov and identifies rebalancing of the brain’s dopamine system as the means by which psychedelics might help blunt drug-seeking behavior and promote drug abstinence. The article has been accepted for publication by the British Journal of Pharmacology.

Read the Clinical Research News article.

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