Highlights May 25 - May 31, 2026
new every Sunday
This week brought new clinical and preclinical signals for psilocybin, alongside a federal MDMA study for veterans. Reviews also exposed evidence gaps in autism research and ethnographic work on psychedelic rituals.
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01
Veterans Affairs announces a new MDMA therapy study for veterans with PTSD and expands federal attention on psychedelic-assisted mental health care
The VA's new MDMA study expands federal research into treatment-resistant PTSD and could influence safety standards and access.
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02
One or two psilocybin doses still reduce depression symptoms weeks later, with antidepressant effects linked to the intensity of the psychedelic experience
One or two psilocybin sessions reduced depression symptoms for weeks, with stronger effects tied to experience intensity.
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03
Single-dose psilocybin reduces neuropathic pain and outperforms gabapentin in a mouse study, with effects linked to serotonin 5-HT2A signaling
A mouse study found one psilocybin dose relieved neuropathic pain longer than gabapentin through 5-HT2A signaling.
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04
Neue Review zu Psychedelika bei Autismus-Spektrum-Stoerungen fasst Forschungsstand, moegliche Wirkmechanismen und therapeutische Chancen zusammen
A review maps the limited evidence, proposed mechanisms, risks, and major research gaps for psychedelics in autism.
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05
Ein Scope Review bewertet ethnologische Feldforschung zu psychedelischen Ritualen als wissenschaftlich ungenuegend und fordert belastbarere Methoden sowie klarere Standards
A scope review finds weak definitions, small samples, and poor transparency in ethnographic research on psychedelic rituals.
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06
Wellness culture absorbs psychedelic healing into consumer self-optimization while leaving its political, ethical, and communal contradictions largely unresolved
The essay shows how consumer wellness can recast psychedelic healing as self-optimization while obscuring coercion and inequality.