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Psychedelic Research Activities

Since 2004, when I published my first paper in the UK medical academic press, I have written dozens of further medical papers and taken part in several psychedelic drug trials. See details below.

Academic Papers Published

Most of the links will take you to published abstracts of the articles. If you’d like the full PDF drop me a line at bensessa@gmail.com

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Peer-Reviews I have written

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I frequently write reviews for academic papers being submitted to medical journals, i.e.. The Journal of Psychopharmacology, Advances in Psychiatry, The British Journal of Psychiatry and The Lancet. Here are some of the papers I have reviewed:

 

  • PØ Johansen  (2008) How could MDMA (‘Ecstasy’) help anxiety disorders? A neurobiological rationale. JoP. October 2008.

  • Michael Mithoefer (2010) – The safety and efficacy of ±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy in subjects with chronic, treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder: the first randomized controlled trial. March 2010. JoP.

  • (2010) Empathogen, entactogen, and ensuigen: Effects of MDMA on subject utterances in PTSD therapy. JoP. October 2010.

  • Mystical Experiences Occasioned by the Hallucinogen Psilocybin Lead to Increases in the Personality Domain of Openness. JoP. March 2011.

  • Enhancement of Creative Expression and Entoptic Phenomena as After-Effects of Repeated Ayahuasca Administration. JoP. May 2011.

  • Krebs, Teri; Johansen, Pål. (2011) ‘Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for alcoholism: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials’ For Journal of Psychopharmacology. July 2011.

  • Carhart-Harris et al (2011) “Psilocybin augments subjective and neural responses to autobiographical memory cues: An fMRI study with implications for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy” British Journal of Psychiatry.

  • Teri Krebs and Pal Johansen.(2012) Visual; Symptoms in Psychedelic Users: A population study.  JoP. February 2012.

  • Micheal Mithoefer (2012) LTFU of study for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of PTSD.  JoP, February 2012.

  • Peter Oehen (2012)  “A randomized, controlled pilot study of MDMA (±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine)-assisted psycho-therapy for treatment resistant, chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)” for the Journal of Psychopharmacology. March 2012.

  • Peter Oehen (2012)  “A randomized, controlled pilot study of MDMA (±3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine)-assisted psycho-therapy for treatment resistant, chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)” for the Journal of Psychopharmacology. July 2012.

  • George Greer and Charles Grob (2013) – PTSD Symptom Reports of Patients Evaluated for the New Mexico Medical CannabisProgram” for the Journal of Psychopharmacology. January 2013.

  • Robin Carhart-Harris and David Nutt (2013) A New Drug Model for Psychiatry. For The Journal of Psychopharmacology. February 2013.

  • Matt Johnson et al. (2013) Psychedelic Therapy and reducing rates of recidivism. Journal of Psychopharmacology.  August 2013.

  • Winstock et al. (2013) “Dimethyltryptamine (DMT): Prevalence, user characteristics and abuse liability in a large global sample” for the Journal of Psychopharmacology. August 2013.

  • Lawn, W., Barrett, M., Horen, A. and Winstock, A. (2013) The N-BOMe hallucionogenic drug series: patterns of use, characteristics of users and self-reported effects in a large international sample. For Journal of Psychpharmacology.

  • Litjens, R., Alderlieftse, G.J., Westerlink, R.H.S. (2013) Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder and the serotonergic system: A comprehensive review including new MDMA-related clinical cases. For Journal of European Neuropsychopharmacology.

  • David Baumeister, Georgina Barnes, Giovanni Giaroliand Derek Tracy. (2014)Classical hallucinogens as antidepressants? A review of pharmacodynamics and putative clinical roles. Submitted to Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology.

  • Curran, Val (2014) “Effects of ecstasy on cooperative behaviour and perception of trustworthiness: a naturalistic study.” For JoP. February 2014.

  • Johnson, Mat (2014) “Pilot Study of the 5-HT2A Agonist Psilocybin in the Treatment of Tobacco Addiction” for the Journal of Psychopharmacology. April 2014. .

  • Majić, Tomislav (2014) Peak experiences and afterglows reconsidered: which role does the subjective experience play for the therapeutic effects of psychedelic drugs? J Psychopharmacology. July 2014.

  • Bogenschutz (2014) “Psilocybin-Assisted Treatment For Alcohol Dependence: A Proof-Of-Concept Study” For the Journal of Psychopharmacology. September 2014.

  • Parrott, A. (2014) “Why all stimulant drugs are damaging to recreational users: an empirical overview and psychobiological explanation.” Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental. September 2014.

  • Krebs, Teri; Johansen, Pål.(2014) Psychedelics not linked to mental health problems or suicidal behaviour: A population study. Accepted for JOP. November 2014.

  • Sunjeev K Kamboj, Emma Kilford, Stephanie Minchin, Abigail Day Moss, Will Lawn, Ravi K Das, Caroline Falconer, Paul Gilbert, H Valerie Curran and Tom P Freeman (2014) Recreational 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA) and self-focused compassionate imagery: Preliminary steps in the development of a therapeutic psychopharmacology of contemplative practices. For BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

  • Kaar, Stephen (contact); Ferris, Jason; Waldron, Jon; Devaney, Madonna; Ramsey, John; Winstock, Adam (2015) Up: the rise of nitrous oxide abuse. An international survey of contemporary nitrous oxide use. JOP-2015-2614

  • Matt Baggott et al (2015) “Effects of MDMA on socio-emotional feelings, authenticity, and autobiographical disclosure in healthy volunteers in a controlled setting” for the Journal of Psychopharmacology.

  • Michael Mithoefer et al (2015) Novel Psychopharmacological Therapies for Psychiatric Disorders: Psilocybin and MDMA. For The Lancet Psychiatry.

  • Bouso et al (2016) The current state of research on ayahuasca: a systematic review of human studies assessing psychiatric symptoms, neuropsychological functioning and neuroimaging. For the Journal of Psychopharmacology

  • Amoroso, T, and Workman, M. (2016) PTSD with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy: A preliminary meta-analysis and comparison to prolonged exposure therapy. For Journal of Psychopharmacology.

  • Carbonaro, T., Bradstreet, M.,  Barrett, F., ; MacLean, K.,  Jesse, R. ; Johnson, M. and Griffiths, R. (2016) Survey study of challenging experiences after ingesting psilocybin mushrooms: Acute and enduring positive and negative consequences. For Journal of Psychopharmacology.

  • Pisano, Vincent; Putnam, Nathaniel; Kramer, Hannah; Franciotti, Kevin; Halpern, John; Holden, Selma (2016) The association of psychedelic use and opioid use severity among illicit users in the United States. For Journal of Psychopharmacology, May 2016.

  • Johnson, M., Garcia-Romeu, A., Johnson, P., Griffiths, R. (2016) An Online Survey of Tobacco Smoking cessation associated with naturalistic psychedelic use. June 2016.

  • Forstmann, M. & Sagioglou, C. (2017) Lifetime Experiences with classical psychedelics predicts pro-environmental behaviour through an increase in nature relatedness. For JoP. January 2017.

  • Dr Elsey (2017) Psychedelic Drug use in healthy individuals: A review of the benefits, costs and implications for drug policy. Drug Science, Policy and Law. June 2017.

  • Bogenschutz et al (2017) Psilocybin-assisted treatment of alcohol use disorder: a clinical perspective. For Neuropharmacology, December 2017.

  • Davis, Lancellotta and Renn (2018) The epidemiology of 5-Methoxy-N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) use: Benefits, consequences, patterns of use, subjective effects, and reasons for consumption.” For the Journal of Psychopharmacology. JoP. January 2018.

  • Ota’lora G., Marcela et al (2018) MDMA-assisted Psychotherapy for Treatment of Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. For the Journal of Psychopharmacology. April 2018.

  • Garcia-Romeu, A (2019) Cessation and reduction in alcohol consumption and misuse after psychedelic use. Submitted to Journal of Psychopharmacology, December 2018

  • Milloy et al (2019) Does cannabis use mitigate the effect of post-traumatic stress disorder on severe depression and suicidal ideation? Evidence from a population-based cross-sectional study of Canadians. Journal of Psychopharmacology, April 2019

  • Davis, A. et al (2020) Survey of entity encounter experiences occasioned by inhaled N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT): Phenomenology, interpretation, and enduring effects. JoP.

  • Carla et al (2020) Neural and subjective effects of inhaled DMT in natural settings. For JoP – September 2020

  • Strickland, Justin; Garcia-Romeu, Albert; Johnson, Matthew W. (2020) Peer Review of Set and Setting: A Randomized Study of Different Genres in Supporting Psychedelic Journal: ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science.

  • Jones, Grant; Nock, Matthew (2021) Peer Review of Lifetime MDMA/ecstasy use is associated with lowered odds of psychological distress and suicidality. Submitted to Journal of Psychopharmacology in December 2020.

  • Chiruta et al (2021) Critique of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists psychedelic therapy clinical memorandum, dated May 2020. Sumitted to the journal of Drug

  • Wießner et al (2021) The effects of LSD on creativity: Increased novelty and
    symbolic thinking, decreased utility and convergent thinking. For the Journal of Psychopharmacology.

  • Improving collection of psychedelics data in the United

  • Brian Barnett (20922) States National Survey on Drug Use and Health. For JoP

  • David Nutt; Celia Morgan; Sukhpreet Klaire (2023) Psychedelics as Treatments: Past, Present, and Future. For the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs

  • Sharma et al (2023) Psilocybin History, Action and Reaction: A Narrative Clinical Review. For Journal of Pharmacology, February 2023

  • Shinozuka et al (2024) Understanding Psychedelic Therapeutics for General Medicine Providers: Part VI. 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA). For American Journal of Therapeutics.

  • Benjamin Taber, Mikhail Kogan (2024) "Exploring the Potential Role of MDMA-Assisted Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Discussion of the Current Evidence and Regulatory Landscape" - 4th November 2024

  • Ramona L. Martinez,1* Nina Radošić, Hanna Molla, Harriet de Wit, and Sonja Lyubomirsky (2024) Unique Social Effects of the Love Drug: MDMA, but not Methamphetamine Increases Feelings of Trust During Dyadic Conversations

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