Psychedelic Renaissance
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| Psychedelic Renaissance | |
|---|---|
| 190822 psilodep psychedelic research 002.jpg A modern clinical Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT) session at Imperial College London. | |
| Era Overview | |
| Current Era |
|
| Preceded by | |
| Timeline | 1990s–present (accelerating in 2010s–2020s) |
| Primary Focus Areas | |
| Methodology | Biomedical research[4], double-blind RCTs[5][6], neuroimaging |
| Clinical Targets |
|
| Core Substances Studied | |
| Psilocybin Mescaline | |
The Psychedelic Renaissance refers to the contemporary resurgence of scientific, clinical, and cultural interest in psychedelic drugs. [11] Scholars commonly divide the history of human psychedelic use and scientific engagement into three distinct eras: the first period, the ethnobotanical (characterized by traditional pharmacognosy, indigenous, and sacramental practices across cultures e.g., peyote), the second, the psychological period (spanning the mid-20th-century exploration of psychoanalysis, model psychoses, and early psychotherapy prior to prohibition, in addition to the counterculture use which sparked the prohibition of psychedelic drugs e.g., LSD), and the current era represents the third period, the clinical renaissance, defined by rigorous biomedical methodologies, neuroimaging, and regulated clinical trials evaluating psychedelics for psychiatric disorders, substance use disorders, terminal diagnosis related existential distress, eating disorders, and neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer’s and migraine.[12][7][13]
Overview and Historical Periods
First Period: Ethnobotanical Renaissance
The initial phase spans up to 12 thousand years of indigenous ritual, medicinal, and spiritual traditions centered on naturally occurring psychoactive plants and fungi, including peyote (Lophophora williamsii), ayahuasca, and psilocybin containing mushrooms.[12]
Second Period: Psychological Renaissance
Initiated in the late 19th and mid-20th centuries the period was contingent on the colonial cultural appropriation and capitalist commodification. Isolation of mescaline and the synthesis of LSD by Albert Hofmann for Pfizer from ergot fungus, were some of the pivotal moments.[14] This era focused on psychiatric exploration, model psychosis theories, and psycholytic/psychedelic psychotherapy. This wave largely ceased following the United Nations 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances and widespread legal prohibition.[15]
Third Period: Clinical Renaissance
Beginning in the 1990s and accelerating significantly throughout the 2010s and 2020s, the third period emphasizes evidence-based clinical psychiatry, standardized pharmacological formulations, double-blind randomized controlled trials, and regulatory pathways toward formal approval.[16] A bibliometric analysis by Hadar et al. (2023) mapped three decades of human studies, demonstrating exponential publication growth and identifying the core pharmacological agents investigated during the third wave.[11]
Primary Psychedelic Drugs Investigated in Third-Period Clinical Research
Substances Investigated in Third-Period Clinical Research
- Psilocybin: The primary psychoactive alkaloid in Psilocybe mushrooms. In modern trials, synthetic psilocybin represents the most extensively researched compound, particularly for treatment-resistant depression, major depressive disorder (MDD), end-of-life anxiety, and substance use disorders.[17][18]
- MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine): An entactogen/empathogen evaluated in combination with psychotherapy, prominently for the treatment of severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide): A classical ergoline psychedelic studied for anxiety associated with life-threatening illness, cluster headaches, depression, and fundamental human neuroimaging paradigms.[19]
- Ayahuasca / DMT: A traditional Amazonian decoction containing DMT and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), evaluated in controlled human settings for treatment-resistant depression and anxiety.[20]
- Mescaline: A phenethylamine alkaloid derived from cacti such as peyote and San Pedro, serving as a historical touchstone and subject of modern comparative psychopharmacological research.
References
- ↑ Miller, Richard Louis (2017). Psychedelic Medicine: The Healing Powers of LSD, MDMA, Psilocybin, and Ayahuasca. Park Street Press. ISBN 978-1-62055-697-9. Search this book on
- ↑ Schultes, Richard Evans; Hofmann, Albert; Rätsch, Christian (2001). Plants of the Gods: Their Sacred, Healing, and Hallucinogenic Powers (2nd ed.). Healing Arts Press. ISBN 978-0-89281-979-9. Search this book on
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Dyck, Erika (2008). Psychedelic Psychiatry: LSD from Clinic to Campus. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8977-6. Search this book on
- ↑ Cassandra Quave (2023-03-20). "Psychedelic Medicines for Depression" (Podcast). Foodie Pharmacology / Nature's Pharmacy. Retrieved 2026-08-17.
- ↑ "Feasibility of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy in Adults With Advanced Cancer and Anxiety (PAC)". ClinicalTrials.gov. National Library of Medicine. NCT06230757. Retrieved 2026-08-17.
- ↑ "Study of Psilocybin Assisted Psychotherapy to Address Fear of Recurrence in Patients Diagnosed With Early-stage Breast Cancer and Ovarian Cancer in Remission". ClinicalTrials.gov. National Library of Medicine. NCT06430541. Retrieved 2026-08-17.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Griffiths, R. R.; Johnson, M. W.; Carducci, M. A.; Umbricht, A.; Richards, W. A.; Richards, B. D.; Cosimano, M. P.; Klinedinst, M. A. (2016). "Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial". Journal of Psychopharmacology. 30 (12): 1181–1197. doi:10.1177/0269881116675513. PMID 27909165.
- ↑ Peck, S. K.; Shao, S.; Gruen, T.; Yang, K.; Babalola, A.; Kaye, W. (2023). "Psilocybin therapy for females with anorexia nervosa: a phase 1, open-label feasibility study". Nature Medicine. 29 (8): 1947–1953. doi:10.1038/s41591-023-02455-9. PMID 37488390 Check
|pmid=value (help). - ↑ Vargas, M. V.; Dunlap, L. E.; Dong, C.; Carter, S. J.; Tombari, R. J.; Jami, S. A.; Cameron, L. P.; Patel, S. D.; Hennessey, J. J. (2023). "Psychedelics promote neuroplasticity through the activation of intracellular 5-HT2A receptors". Science. 379 (6633): 700–706. doi:10.1126/science.adf0435. PMID 36795823 Check
|pmid=value (help). - ↑ Schindler, E. A.; Sewak, M.; Gottschalk, C. H.; Luddy, C.; Flynn, L. T.; Zhu, H.; Butler, M.; D'Souza, D. C. (2021). "Exploratory Controlled Study of the Migraine-Suppressing Effects of Psilocybin". Neurotherapeutics. 18 (1): 534–543. doi:10.1007/s13311-020-00962-y. PMID 33184743 Check
|pmid=value (help). - ↑ 11.0 11.1 Hadar, A.; David, J.; Shalit, N.; Roseman, L.; Gross, R.; Sessa, B.; Lev-Ran, S. (2023). "The Psychedelic Renaissance in Clinical Research: A Bibliometric Analysis of Three Decades of Human Studies with Psychedelics". Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. 55 (1): 1–10. doi:10.1080/02791072.2021.2022254. PMID 35000572 Check
|pmid=value (help). Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "Hadar2023" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 12.0 12.1 Sessa, Ben (2017). The Psychedelic Renaissance: Reassessing the Role of Psychedelic Drugs in 21st Century Psychiatry and Society (2nd ed.). Muswell Hill Press. ISBN 978-1-908995-25-4. Search this book on
- ↑ Grob, C. S.; Danforth, A. L.; Chopra, G. S.; Hagerty, M.; McKay, C. R.; Halberstadt, A. L.; Greer, G. R. (2011). "Pilot study of psilocybin treatment for anxiety in patients with advanced-stage cancer". Archives of General Psychiatry. 68 (1): 71–78. doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.146. PMID 20819978.
- ↑ Pollan, Michael (2018). How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence. Penguin Press. ISBN 978-1-59420-422-7. Search this book on
- ↑ Huxley, Aldous (1954). The Doors of Perception. Chatto & Windus. Search this book on
- ↑ Quave, Cassandra Leah (2021). The Plant Hunter: A Scientist's Quest for Nature's Next Medicines. Viking / Penguin Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-9848-7911-0. Search this book on
- ↑ Bogenschutz, M. P.; Ross, S.; Bhatt, S.; Baron, T.; Forcehimes, A. A.; Laska, E.; Mennenga, S. E.; O'Donnell, K.; Owens, L. T. (2022). "Percentage of Heavy Drinking Days Following Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy vs Placebo in Active Alcohol Use Disorder". JAMA Psychiatry. 79 (10): 953–962. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.2096. PMID 36001306 Check
|pmid=value (help). - ↑ Johnson, M. W.; Garcia-Romeu, A.; Cosimano, M. P.; Griffiths, R. R. (2014). "Pilot study of the 5-HT2AR agonist psilocybin in the treatment of tobacco addiction". Journal of Psychopharmacology. 28 (11): 983–992. doi:10.1177/0269881114548296. PMID 25213996.
- ↑ Lee, Martin A.; Shlain, Bruce (1992). Acid Dreams: The Complete Social History of LSD: The CIA, the Sixties, and Beyond (Revised ed.). Grove Press. ISBN 978-0-8021-3062-4. Search this book on
- ↑ Pollan, Michael (2021). This Is Your Mind on Plants. Penguin Press. ISBN 978-0-593-29690-5. Search this book on
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