mechanisms of action
Spotlight: Triple-network model-based graph theory analysis of the effectiveness of low-dose ketamine in patients with treatment-resistant depression: two resting-state functional MRI clinical trials (Lin, et al, 2025)
"These findings may support the utility of the triple-network model in elucidating ketamine's antidepressant effect. Alterations in DMN, salience and FPN function may underlie this effect."
Spotlight: Beyond the serotonin deficit hypothesis: communicating a neuroplasticity framework of major depressive disorder (Page, et al, 2024)
"The serotonin deficit hypothesis explanation for major depressive disorder (MDD) has persisted among clinicians and the general public alike despite insufficient supporting evidence."
Spotlight: Influencia de la ketamina en el abordaje y control de la ideación suicida en adultos con depresión mayor e impacto a nivel cognitivo (Gualda, et al, 2024)
"Se identifica reducción de la ansiedad, mejor estado de ánimo y mejor funcionamiento tras el tratamiento con ketamina. También se observa una reducción de la ideación suicida y de la gravedad de la sintomatología depresiva."
Spotlight: Encyclopedia Britannica-- 6 Cultures That Recognize More than Two Genders
"Throughout history, many cultures have recognized gender identities other than male and female. Nonbinary people have often occupied unique positions in their societies, serving as priests, artists, and ceremonial leaders. "
Spotlight: Chacruna-- Can Ketamine-Induced Near-Death Experiences Expedite Healing? (Sienknecht, 2020)
"The potential for ketamine to replicate NDE’s has been supported by research. A recent study published in Science Direct, looking at over 15,000 self-reports, found that the use of ketamine, over all other psychedelic compounds, most frequently led users to have NDE’s..."
Spotlight: Psychedelic Therapy: A Primer for Primary Care Clinicians-- Ketamine (Evans, et al, 2024)
"Ketamine, an arylcyclohexylamine dissociative anesthetic agent, has evolved into a versatile therapeutic. It has a rapid-onset, well-understood cardiovascular effects and a favorable safety profile in clinical use"
Spotlight: Ketamine's Role in Spirituality (Woods, 2021)
"Ketamine, like the prominent psychedelic, psilocybin, has
reportedly caused feelings of spiritual revelation and “out of body experiences” that many physicians may not feel qualified to discuss with their patients."
Spotlight: Being no one, being One: The role of ego-dissolution and connectedness in the therapeutic effects of psychedelic experience (Kałużna, et al, 2022)
"The present paper explores this by focusing on two psychedelic states which have been suggested as therapeutically significant in past literature: ego-dissolution and connectedness."
ketamine
Spotlight: Rapid and sustained reduction of treatment-resistant PTSD symptoms after intravenous ketamine in a real-world, psychedelic paradigm (MacConnel, et al, 2024)
"Administering ketamine in ways that parallel psychedelic-assisted treatments—including preparatory, integration, sensory immersion, and psychotherapy sessions—could decrease PTSD symptoms meaningfully."
Spotlight: Measuring acute effects of subanesthetic ketamine on cerebrovascular hemodynamics in humans using TD-fNIRS (Castillo, et al, 2023)
"we provide preliminary evidence that a combination of neural and physiological metrics may serve as predictors of subjective mystical experiences and reductions in depressive symptomatology"
Spotlight: Countering the Monogamy-Superiority Myth: A Meta-Analysis of the Differences in Relationship Satisfaction and Sexual Satisfaction as a Function of Relationship Orientation (Anderson, et al, 2025)
"Studies have shown that non-monogamy is a largely misunderstood concept within general society, and it has often been assumed that non-monogamous relationships are inferior to monogamous relationships "
Spotlight: Ketamine: Review and Hypothesis for Potential Use in Spinal Cord Injury (Liester, et al, 2024)
"Racemic ketamine is an inexpensive general anesthetic, a rapid-acting antidepressant medication, and a psychoplastogen. This medication, which is safe when used in low doses, stimulates the growth of nervous system structures, thus making it a potential option for individuals who suffer from SCI."
Spotlight: Digital CBT proves changing thoughts quickly reduces negative feelings
What Causes Depression? New Research Confirms Ancient Wisdom (Burns, 2025)
Spotlight: Psychedelic Assisted Therapy: Research and Practice Smart Recovery podcast
Dr. Michael DeMarco is a licensed mental health and family therapist and has pursued additional training in the use of psychedelic medicines for those struggling with substance use disorders.
depression
Spotlight: Nearly half of depression diagnoses could be considered treatment-resistant (ScienceDaily, 2025)
Mixed methods study found hopelessness among patients struggling with condition after trying multiple antidepressants
ayahausca
Spotlight: Ayahuasca and Safety: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Ceremonial Work in Non-native Contexts
preparation and integration, ethical limits in the facilitator-participant relationship, the risks of idealization and abuse of power, and the importance of clear protocols to ensure safer and more responsible spaces
Spotlight: Notes from the Field: Ketamine Detection and Involvement in Drug Overdose Deaths — United States, July 2019–June 2023
A majority of deaths with ketamine detected involved illegally manufactured fentanyls (IMFs) (58.7%), followed by methamphetamine (28.8%) and cocaine (27.2%).
costs
Spotlight: On Cost Considerations in psychedelic assisted therapy
"In Oregon, psychedelic mushroom sessions are typically $1,000 to $3,000, are not covered by insurance, and must be paid for up front."
