Rene Anand

#BiomarkerResearch shows links between #psychosis and #BartonellaDNA, suggesting vector-borne pathogens play a role in mental illness https://ow.ly/w3lq50T0RxY

1

NCD's From Fetal Surgery to Gene Editing: The Current and Potential Impact of Prenatal Interventions on People with Disabilities report is referenced in this article on the ethics of gene editing. https://lnkd.in/ewNMwVAh

9

The recent findings from McGill University, revealing reduced brain connectivity in young adults at risk of psychosis and the exacerbating role of cannabis, highlight what I see as a catastrophic misstep in modern psychiatry and medicine at large. Cannabis was promoted heavily—sometimes recklessly—by various professions, including psychiatry, and now we are witnessing the consequences. It’s a situation that is almost too late to reverse. In hospitals and my own practice, I frequently see young people grappling with psychosis, and many of these cases are linked to cannabis use. This alarming trend is unfolding at the same time as there is a growing, almost uncritical push for psychedelics in mental health treatment. While psychedelics may hold promise, this fervor to adopt them must be tempered with rigorous evaluation and a clear understanding of the risks involved. Psychedelics are not simple tools—they represent a highly complex therapeutic modality. The treatment often requires two therapists, carefully controlled settings, and ongoing studies to evaluate safety and efficacy. Rushing these substances into mainstream treatment without understanding their long-term effects would be a repeat of the same mistakes made with cannabis. We cannot afford another crisis in psychiatric care, especially when we are still grappling with the fallout of the last one. I am not dismissing the potential benefits of psychedelics outright. However, their use must be approached with caution, humility, and a thorough evaluation process. Psychiatry must prioritize patient safety over trend-driven enthusiasm and ensure that we learn from past mistakes, rather than repeating them. This is a critical moment to reassess and proceed with care before pushing forward with such powerful and potentially life-altering treatments.

2

1 Comment

How do different cognitive styles affect #brain energy #metabolism? With help from a Sable FoxBox #Respirometry System, scientists compared slow vs. fast #cognitive phenotypes in #bees to reveal differences in brain mass and #metabolic rate. https://ow.ly/pItZ50STRwq #bee #honeybee #physiology #cognition #neuroscience

4

1 Comment

The Cannabis Fiasco: A Cautionary Tale for Emerging Psychedelics… The promises surrounding cannabis legalization have proven to be largely unfulfilled, bringing instead a surge of unforeseen issues. Promoted as a natural solution for conditions like anxiety and depression, cannabis gained wide acceptance with legislative and financial backing, despite limited psychiatric research on its safety and efficacy. Today, the consequences are becoming clearer, particularly for adolescents, who are experiencing higher rates of psychosis linked to cannabis use. Research in The Lancet Psychiatry (2019) found that daily, high-potency cannabis use increases the risk of psychotic disorders, especially in adolescents, whose developing brains may be more vulnerable to the effects of THC. Although some users report temporary relief from symptoms like anxiety, studies also show that regular or heavy use can worsen depressive symptoms and cognitive function, particularly among young people (Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2021). Yet, cannabis was legalized and marketed as a safe, therapeutic alternative, driven more by economic interests than scientific evidence. This trend raises concerns about the new wave of psychedelics emerging with similar claims. While psychedelics like psilocybin are being explored for treating mental health conditions, the risks are familiar. During the 1990s, psychiatry approached psychedelics like LSD and hallucinogenic mushrooms with caution, aware of their potential to trigger psychosis or exacerbate schizophrenia-like symptoms. Early observational studies warned that such substances could induce severe psychological effects, particularly in individuals predisposed to mental health conditions. Psychiatry’s acceptance of cannabis was, in hindsight, premature. We must avoid repeating the same mistake with psychedelics. Despite their potential, these treatments require rigorous oversight and research, particularly on long-term effects and impacts on vulnerable individuals. Psychedelic research today involves more controlled conditions and careful screening, but the risks of psychosis and other adverse effects remain. Comprehensive studies on their safety and efficacy are essential before broad use. The experiences with cannabis legalization should remind us to prioritize scientific integrity over market-driven enthusiasm. Moving forward, psychiatry must demand research-backed evidence, ensuring that society approaches psychedelics with the caution they merit.

1

Ultimately, a better understanding of the specific mechanisms underlying the effects of psychedelics could allow for a more targeted therapeutic approach. We highlight current challenges for psychedelic research and provide a research agenda to foster insight in the causal-mechanistic pathways underlying the efficacy of psychedelic research and therapy#Mindfulness https://lnkd.in/grXv6hFt

1

The value of neuroscience-based approaches for the study of alcohol and drugs (editorial by Mary Torregrossa, University of Pittsburgh, just accepted in Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs) "I recently had the privilege of being asked to serve as a new Senior Editor for the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs (JSAD) with the goal of increasing the breadth of neuroscience-related research published by the journal. As a trained neuroscientist, I must admit that I was relatively unfamiliar with JSAD and its history, as few papers in my discipline could be found in JSAD. However, I have come to learn that this was not always the case. Indeed, since its inception as the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol in 1940, JSAD has been at the forefront of publishing research investigating how alcohol and drugs affect the brain. One example can be found in the journal’s second ever issue, which included a study by Goldfarb and Wortis where they investigated the ability of the human brain to oxidize ethyl alcohol (Goldfarb & Wortis, 1940). The following year another study was published assessing the acute and chronic alcohol effects on the electroencephalogram (EEG) (Davis et al., 1941). However, tools for studying the brain were limited at that time, and much research continued to revolve around personality traits or perceived character flaws that led someone down the path of addiction...." https://lnkd.in/ee5G_AyS

2

What does the shift towards nonaddictive pain management treatment look like? Recently, the clinical landscape has seen a considerable increase in clinical trials utilizing psychedelic agents for the treatment of chronic pain and other indications. Read more about this advancement in our white paper: https://ow.ly/HJKc50Sxcoj

32

2 Comments

Clinical research with psychedelics holds the prospect of genuinely novel therapies for a range of disorders and real benefits for patients. Neuroimaging studies have played a key part in transitioning psychedelic actions from academic research to commercial therapeutic effects. Join Matt Wall, PhD as he explores the role neuroimaging might play in the future development of these ground-breaking therapies. #neuroimaging #psychedelics #imagingCRO https://bit.ly/3ybjrQb

29

Listen to an #audio reading of a #pressrelease about this #researchpaper: "Serine racemase expression profile in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampal subregions during aging in male and female rats." https://lnkd.in/eAcB26zt #aging #trendingwithimpact #soundcloud #podcast #oa

1

Submit work for Volume 4 Issue 1 Read latest published articles here: https://lnkd.in/gzJi-ShW Submit neurological related research directly here: https://lnkd.in/eyhdHPW #neurologicalres #brainresearch #neuro #Restorativeneurology #PsychiatricTherapies #submitarticle #submissionopen #researchers

3

Stress disrupts memory precision, causing generalized fear responses by enlarging memory-encoding neuron networks. This effect, mediated by the brain’s endocannabinoid system, suggests potential therapeutic targets for conditions like PTSD and anxiety disorders. #Neuroscience #MentalHealth #PTSD #AnxietyDisorders #EndocannabinoidSystem

3

🎂MathWorks turned 40 in 2024! #Neuroscience researchers have used #matlab since 1984. See🧵for the first known paper, from the National Institute on Aging (NIA). 🆕 Today many thousands of neuroscientists use MATLAB! But they don't always have time to keep up with MATLAB's recent capabilities. 🔗This guide summarizes what's new & notable in MATLAB for neuroscientists, as of R2024a. https://lnkd.in/eRpN7kzi

34

1 Comment

Blood biomarkers are transforming research and clinical care for dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other neurodegenerative diseases. Led by Nicholas Ashton, Ph.D., our upcoming webinar will explore biomarkers’ evolution, from global proteomics to disease-specific markers such as p-Tau 217, GFAP, and amyloid-beta. The session will focus on the utility of plasma p-Tau 217, and will look to future possibilities — including remote testing and emerging markers — to further highlight biomarkers’ role in improving dementia diagnosis and treatment. https://bit.ly/3RbEFUB #Neurodegeneration #Research #Biomarkers

28

Exploring Sex Differences in Brain Stress Responses Dr. Melissa Herman talks about how the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus reacts to stressors, revealing unexpected sex differences in stress reactivity. Discover the potential impacts of psychedelics on brain responses and their therapeutic effects. Video clip from this podcast conversation: https://lnkd.in/gvnCTe_F #Neuroscience #Alcohol #Health #Addiction #Biology #Science #Podcast

2

Disruption of functional connectivity in cortex and subcortex following psilocybin in humans. Does a reduction in hippocampal-default mode network connectivity represent at least part of the mechanism of action of psychedelics? https://lnkd.in/etvYkk-u #neuroscience #neuroplasticity #neuralpathways #neuralnetworks #neuralcircuits #mentalhealth #psychiatry #psilocybin #psychedelics #hippocampus #defaultmodenetwork

1