Psychedelics Headlines: Anti-inflammatory Effects, Global Drug Survey, 'Synthetic Surprise,' UK's Harm Reduction Hub And More

Welcome to Benzinga’s psychedelics headlines roundup. This is our pick of must-read news items from weeks three and four of January 2024.

See previous edition Psychedelics Headlines: MDMA & Coping Skills In PTSD, LSD’s Perceived Risks, Knowledge Gaps, Surveys & More 

Research

• Renowned scientist Charles Nichols' Lab latest research on the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-inflammatory effects of psychedelics (read.)
• Trauma-Informed Care in Psychedelic Therapy Research: A Qualitative Literature Review of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Interventions in PTSD and Psychedelic Therapy Across Conditions (read.)
• Trends in hallucinogen-associated emergency department visits and hospitalizations in California, from 2016 to 2022 (read.)
• Social acceptability of psilocybin-assisted therapy for existential distress at the end of life: A population-based survey (read.)
• Effects of External Stimulation on Psychedelic State Neurodynamics (read.)
• Modern Psychedelic Microdosing Research on Mental Health: A Systematic Review (read.)
• Synthetic surprise as the foundation of the psychedelic experience (read.)
• Microdosing psychedelics and the risk of cardiac fibrosis and valvulopathy: Comparison to known cardiotoxins (read.)
• Amygdala response to emotional faces following acute administration of psilocybin in healthy individuals (read.)
• The latest issue of peer-reviewed, original research papers journal Psychedelic Medicine (Editor-in-Chief: Peter Hendricks, PhD and Charles Nichols, PhD) is out (read.)
• Spiritual health practitioners' contributions to psychedelic assisted therapy: A qualitative analysis (read.)
• The consciousness wars: can scientists ever agree on how the mind works? (read.)

Tune In, Get Smart

• University of Exeter is running a study looking at people's experience of ketamine addiction treatment (volunteer), where Dr Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes and others have launched the new online course "Psychedelics: Mind, Medicine, and Culture." 
• The Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center has started recruiting for a clinical trial on psilocybin's effects in depression and alcohol use disorder (volunteer.)
• The Global Drug Survey (largest survey on drug use in the world) has officially launched its 2024 edition (participate.)
• University of Texas and Clusterbusters are conducting a survey on cluster headache medication and psychedelic use (participate.)
• Ongoing clinical research on "Neural and Physiological Correlates of Psychedelic Sub-states", sponsored by famed researcher Robin-Carhart Harris is recruiting participants (volunteer.)
• ‘Landmark moment': UK's first regular drug testing service to open in Bristol, per The Guardian (read.)
• UK-based nonprofit Release Drugs is campaigning for funds toward creating a harm reduction hub in London (details.)
• The UN Human Rights Council will hold the discussion "Human rights challenges in addressing and countering all aspects of the world drug problem" on Feb. 5 (attend.)
• Jules Evans' next Psychedelic Safety Seminar on Feb. 8 will discuss how to make psychedelic churches legal and safe, and why psychedelic therapists and guides should watch out for malpractice suits (join.)
• Valentine’s Day event "Love and grief in the shadow of war" with Dr. Gabor Maté et al., hosted by The Psychedelic Society UK, with funds raised for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (join.)
• Mason Marks MD, JD will be speaking live and online Feb. 17 at Harvard Divinity School's "Psychedelic Intersections: Cross-cultural Manifestations of the Sacred" conference (join.)
• Researcher David B. Yaden will be speaking about measuring and characterizing the acute subjective effects of a psychedelic experience at University of Virginia Contemplative Sciences Center, March 14 (details.)
• Drug Science's latest podcast episode on psilocybin for OCD (listen.)
• Dr. Peter Grinspoon discussed microdosing at Psychedelic Science for the People's latest podcast (listen.)
• "AI Program Finds Thousands of Possible Psychedelics. Will They Lead to New Drugs?" (read.)
• According to POLITICO, psychedelics and drug policy reform will be one of the discussed topics of 2024 (read.)
• GOP Congressman Morgan Luttrell discussed psychedelics therapy journey, bipartisan military research win and future of plant-based medicine with Marijuana Moment (read.)
• "Inside Boston's Psychedelic Revolution," per Boston Magazine (read.)
• "Stop using wild San Pedro": 5 Questions for Josip Orlovac Del Río, interview by The Microdose (read.)
• Drug testing in Canberra reveals three recreational substances not previously seen in Australia, per The Guardian (read.)
• Spanish Police Bust Ayahuasca Syndicate for Unspecified Sex Crimes and Workers' Rights Violations, by DoubleBlind (read.)
• "The mysterious death of ketamine priestess Marcia Moore" by Ed Prideaux, James Penner and Jules Evans (read.)
• How Margaret Mead‘s research into utopias helped usher in the psychedelic era (listen.)
• "Leo Zeff and the Non-Directive Style of Being a Psychedelic Guide," by Lucid (read.)
• "Are Psychedelics an Antidote to Pessimism?" By Sam Woolfe (read.)

Panorama Pulse

• The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) launched a new version of its fiscal sponsorship program for innovators in the psychedelic movement.
• CNS disorders biotech Alto Neuroscience filed for a $100M IPO, targeting the NYSE.
• Psyence Group's PSYGF subsidiary Psyence Biomedical completed its business combination deal with Newcourt Acquisition and got approval to list on Nasdaq, following agreement for the issuance of convertible notes up to $10 million.
• SciSparc Ltd. SPRC announced a $20 million standby equity purchase agreement.
• Seelos Therapeutics SEEL announced a $4 million registered direct offering and private placement priced ATM under Nasdaq rules.
• Clearmind Medicine CMND closed a $2.4 million registered direct and private placement, and announced the completion of a Type A Meeting with the FDA.
• Filament Health FLHLF completed its first export of botanical psilocybin to Australia to Reset Mind Sciences Ltd. for research purposes.
• GH Research GHRS was granted a European patent covering all 5-MeO-DMT and related salt products for Major Depressive Disorder and Treatment-Resistant Depression treatment.
• Mental health services PBC Tara Mind secured $8 million to bring ketamine therapy to workplace benefits.
• Compass Pathways CMPS signed a research collaboration deal with Hackensack Meridian Health to develop an "optimal clinical model" for psilocybin treatment.
• Awakn Life Sciences AWKNF successfully completed an investigative study to establish the dissociative effect of a novel sublingual S-ketamine oral thin film formulation in harmful drinkers.
• Optimi Health OPTHF received Canadian approval to increase quantities of MDMA, MDA, and 2C-B production.
• PharmAla Biotech MDXXF received a Canadian Controlled Drugs & Substances Dealer's License for selling MDMA and psilocybin.
• Mental health services provider Sheppard Pratt announced Dr. Matthew W. Johnson as senior researcher for its Center of Excellence for Psilocybin Research and Treatment.
• First edition of "Towards Drug Policy Justice: Harm Reduction, Human Rights and Changing Drug Policy Contexts" is out for purchase.
• Alex Stevens' "Drug Policy Constellations: The Role of Power and Morality in the Making of Drug Policy in the UK" will soon be published by Bristol Uni. Press (join launch on Feb. 1)

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