Highlights Jun 15 - Jun 21, 2026
new every Sunday
This week brought early evidence on delayed learning effects, emotional threat processing, and the role of social context in psychedelic outcomes. It also sharpened practical questions around study design, equity, and the ecological costs of toad-derived 5-MeO-DMT.
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01
One dose of LSD boosts learning the next day in mice, with stronger cognitive flexibility linked to serotonin 2A receptor signaling and delayed behavioral effects
Mouse research found next-day gains in learning and cognitive flexibility after LSD, with serotonin 2A signaling implicated.
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02
Brain scans link regular psychedelic use to reduced reactivity to fearful faces and stronger prefrontal regulation during emotional threat processing
Brain imaging linked regular psychedelic use to lower amygdala threat reactivity and stronger prefrontal regulation, without proving causality.
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03
Leitfaden fuer die Planung psychedelischer Studien ordnet Studiendesign, Sicherheit, Ethik und regulatorische Anforderungen fuer klinische Forschung
A new guide organizes study design, dosing, safety, ethics, and regulatory requirements for clinical psychedelic research.
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04
New study finds psychedelic use at raves and ceremonies is linked to reduced trauma symptoms, with emotional breakthrough and social connection shaping healing
Group psychedelic use was associated with fewer trauma symptoms, with emotional breakthrough and social connection shaping outcomes.
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05
Mikrodosing mit Psychedelika ist laut einer internationalen Studie besonders unter Frauen verbreitet und geht mit seltenerem Konsum anderer Drogen einher
An international study found more women among microdosers and less frequent use of other drugs, though causality remains unclear.
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06
Psychedelic exceptionalism centers white, wealthy, educated users while sidelining Indigenous traditions, racialized communities, and the broader realities of drug policy
This critique shows how psychedelic exceptionalism can reproduce racial and class inequities while sidelining Indigenous traditions.
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07
Is the boom in toad-derived 5-MeO-DMT harming Sonoran Desert toads, and can synthetic 5-MeO-DMT reduce ecological pressure while preserving access?
Growing demand for toad-derived 5-MeO-DMT raises animal welfare and trafficking concerns that synthetic production could reduce.