Growing evidence from animal studies, observational reports, and clinical trials suggest that classic psychedelics such as lysergic acid (LSD), ayahuasca, and psilocybin as well as non-classic psychedelics such as ibogaine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and ketamine may hold treatment potential for multiple types of substance use disorders (SUDs). However, much remains unknown about how effective psychedelic treatments might be for substance use disorders, what their underlying mechanisms of action could be, which patients would be more likely to benefit from psychedelic treatments, and what the potential risks of psychedelic treatments in the SUD patient population are. Additionally, should psychedelics be approved as medicines by regulatory agencies, there may still be significant implementation challenges to incorporating this set of psychoactive substances into SUD treatment programs, as is already the case with treatments such as methadone and buprenorphine.
While still in its infancy, research on psychedelics and SUDs presents a number of opportunities for developing novel SUD treatments and furthering our understanding of the unique risks and challenges related to administering psychedelics to people with SUDs. In this research topic, we hope to bring together work produced by varying research methodologies in order to expand the knowledge base around the therapeutic use of psychedelics for SUDs and potential challenges to incorporating psychedelic treatments into existing SUD treatment paradigms.
Our primary aim in developing this Research Topic is to expand the scientific literature on the possible therapeutic applications of psychedelics in treating substance use disorders (SUDs) and the risks associated with administering psychedelic treatments in the SUD patient population. While psychedelics may present a unique opportunity for the development of novel treatments for a devastating group of conditions for which existing medical interventions have limited efficacy, they may pose unique risks in the SUD patient population due to their addictive potential, albeit small. Additionally, due to their psychoactive nature, recommended medical monitoring during administration, and the logistical demands of the current model of administering psychedelics in the context of various courses of psychotherapy, should psychedelic treatments be approved by regulatory agencies, they may face difficulties being incorporated into the existing SUD treatment paradigm. With these realities in mind, we invite submissions on both classical and non-classical psychedelics in the form of Opinion, Original Research, Review articles, and Systematic Review articles, with particular interest in the following topics:
• Efficacy and safety of psychedelics for the treatment of SUDs in clinical studies
• Animal models and preclinical studies of efficacy and abuse liability of psychedelic treatment
• Potential therapeutic mechanisms of psychedelic treatments for SUDs, including neuroimaging studies
• Incorporation of psychedelics into twelve-step facilitation programs and other substance use treatment paradigms
• Combining psychedelic treatments with therapeutic modalities such as Motivational Interviewing (MI), Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and matrix model
• The addictive potential of psychedelics in clinical studies, particularly in the treatment of SUDs
• Surveys of people using psychedelics in non-research settings to intentionally treat substance use disorders
• Surveys of people using psychedelics in non-research settings to assess the effects of psychedelic use in this manner on problematic use of other psychoactive substances
Growing evidence from animal studies, observational reports, and clinical trials suggest that classic psychedelics such as lysergic acid (LSD), ayahuasca, and psilocybin as well as non-classic psychedelics such as ibogaine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and ketamine may hold treatment potential for multiple types of substance use disorders (SUDs). However, much remains unknown about how effective psychedelic treatments might be for substance use disorders, what their underlying mechanisms of action could be, which patients would be more likely to benefit from psychedelic treatments, and what the potential risks of psychedelic treatments in the SUD patient population are. Additionally, should psychedelics be approved as medicines by regulatory agencies, there may still be significant implementation challenges to incorporating this set of psychoactive substances into SUD treatment programs, as is already the case with treatments such as methadone and buprenorphine.
While still in its infancy, research on psychedelics and SUDs presents a number of opportunities for developing novel SUD treatments and furthering our understanding of the unique risks and challenges related to administering psychedelics to people with SUDs. In this research topic, we hope to bring together work produced by varying research methodologies in order to expand the knowledge base around the therapeutic use of psychedelics for SUDs and potential challenges to incorporating psychedelic treatments into existing SUD treatment paradigms.
Our primary aim in developing this Research Topic is to expand the scientific literature on the possible therapeutic applications of psychedelics in treating substance use disorders (SUDs) and the risks associated with administering psychedelic treatments in the SUD patient population. While psychedelics may present a unique opportunity for the development of novel treatments for a devastating group of conditions for which existing medical interventions have limited efficacy, they may pose unique risks in the SUD patient population due to their addictive potential, albeit small. Additionally, due to their psychoactive nature, recommended medical monitoring during administration, and the logistical demands of the current model of administering psychedelics in the context of various courses of psychotherapy, should psychedelic treatments be approved by regulatory agencies, they may face difficulties being incorporated into the existing SUD treatment paradigm. With these realities in mind, we invite submissions on both classical and non-classical psychedelics in the form of Opinion, Original Research, Review articles, and Systematic Review articles, with particular interest in the following topics:
• Efficacy and safety of psychedelics for the treatment of SUDs in clinical studies
• Animal models and preclinical studies of efficacy and abuse liability of psychedelic treatment
• Potential therapeutic mechanisms of psychedelic treatments for SUDs, including neuroimaging studies
• Incorporation of psychedelics into twelve-step facilitation programs and other substance use treatment paradigms
• Combining psychedelic treatments with therapeutic modalities such as Motivational Interviewing (MI), Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and matrix model
• The addictive potential of psychedelics in clinical studies, particularly in the treatment of SUDs
• Surveys of people using psychedelics in non-research settings to intentionally treat substance use disorders
• Surveys of people using psychedelics in non-research settings to assess the effects of psychedelic use in this manner on problematic use of other psychoactive substances
