M-PsyC Research
Embedded in a major research university, M-PsyC is committed to responsible, rigorous, multidisciplinary research on psychedelic drugs and the psychedelic experience.
Indeed, M-PsyC was motivated, in part, by cutting-edge research performed by University of Michigan faculty and students, ranging from endogenous synthesis of DMT in neurons, to the neural dynamics of nitrous oxide in primate cortex, to the neural correlates of the Shamanic state of consciousness in humans. We are also committed to research that spans the translational spectrum, from foundational discovery to clinical implementation. This is reflected in the engagement of M-PsyC participants from basic science to clinical care as well as partnerships with the Center for Drug Repurposing and Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research, both resources for translational science at the University of Michigan.
Recent Publications
The following are a sampling of recent work by M-PsyC investigators:
- Racial differences in naturalistic psychedelic use — motivations for use, communication with health care providers, and outcomes. Glynos NG, Reid MR, Aday JS, Kruger DJ, Boehnke KF, Lake S, Lucas P. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. April 2025.
- Addressing blinding in classic psychedelic studies with innovative active placebos. Aday JS, Simonsson O, Schindler EAD, D’Souza DC. International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. April 2025.
- Preliminary safety and effectiveness of psilocybin-assisted therapy in adults with fibromyalgia: An open-label pilot clinical trial. Aday JS, McAfee J, Conroy DA, Hosanagar A, Tarnal V, Weston C, Scott K, Horowitz D, Geller J, Harte SE, Pouyan N, Glynos NG, Baker AK, Guss J, Davis AK, Burgess HJ, Mashour GA, Clauw DJ, Boehnke KF. Frontiers in Pain Research. March 2025.
- Perceived impact of psychedelics on sexual, gender, and intimate relationships: A mixed-methods investigation. Kruger DJ, Argyri EK, Mogilski JK, Herberholz M, Barron J, Aday JS, Boehnke KF. The Journal of Sex Research. March 2025.
- Intravenous psilocybin induces dose-dependent changes in functional network organization in rat context. Silverstein BH, Kolbman N, Nelson A, Liu T, Guzzo P, Gilligan J, Lee U, Mashour GA, Vanini G, Pal D. Translational Psychiatry. March 2025.
- Tripping into treatment: Comparing initial and current motivations for psychedelic use. Kruger DJ, Albrecht J, Aday JS, Barron J, Herberholz M, Boehnke KF. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. February 2025.
- Psychedelic therapist sexual misconduct and other adverse experiences among a sample of naturalistic psychedelic users. Kruger DJ, Aday JS, Fields CW, Kolbman N, Glynos N, Barron J, Herberholz M, Boehnke KF. Psychedelic Medicine. February 2025.
- Psychedelics and chronic pain: Self-reported outcomes on changed substance use patterns and health following naturalistic psychedelic use. Glynos NG, Baker A, Aday JS, Kruger D, Boehnke KF, Lake S, Lucas P. British Journal of Pain. February 2025.
Going underground: Demographics, services, and best practices endorsed by practitioners providing support for naturalistic psychedelic use. Glynos NG, Baker A, Aday JS, Pouyan N, Barron J, Herberholz M, Kruger D, Boehnke KF. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. September 2024.
Safe ketamine use and pregnancy: A nationwide survey and retrospective review of informed consent, counseling, and testing practices. Pacilio RM, Lopez JF, Parikh SV, Patel PD, Geller JA. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. August 2024.
Attitudes of psychedelic users regarding cost of treatment and non-hallucinogenic alternatives. Aday JS, Boehnke KF, Herberholz M, Kruger DJ. Journal of Psychedelic Studies. May 2024.
Trainees unprepared for advances in psychedelic medicine: A survey study. Geller J, Glynos N, Lemmen A, Pacilio R, Kruger DJ, Hosanagar A. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. April 2024.
Clinical outcomes in the biomarkers of ketamine (Bio-K) study of open-label IV ketamine for refractory depression. Parikh SV, Vande Voort JL, Yocum AK, Achtyes E, Goes FS, Nykamp L, Singh B, Lopez-Vives D, Sera CE, Maixner D, Tarnal V, Severe J, Bartek S, Tye SJ, Rico J, Stoppel CJ, Becerra A, Smart L, Miller CR, Frye MA, Green JF, Bobo WV. Journal of Affective Disorders. March 2024.
Psychedelic substitution: Altered substance use patterns following psychedelic use in a global survey. Glynos NG, Aday JS, Kruger D, Boehnke KF, Lake S, Lucas P. Frontiers in Psychiatry. February 2024.
Response to ketamine treatment for major depressive disorder not associated with number of psychiatric comorbidities. Geller J, Keith K, Smith C, Pacilio R, Arfken C, Oxley M, Mischel N. Journal of Affective Disorders Reports. January 2024.
Clinical outcomes of intravenous ketamine treatment for depression in the VA health system. Pfeiffer PN, Ganoczy D, Jagusch J, Carty J, Festin FED, Gimer WS, Martis B, Ranganathan M, Wiechers IR, Hosanagar A. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. January 2024.
Psychedelic concentrations of nitrous oxide reduce functional differentiation in frontoparietal and somatomotor cortical networks. Day R, Huang Z, Larkin TE, Tarnal V, Picton P, Vlisides PE, Janke E, McKinney A, Hudetz AG, Harris RE, Mashour GA. Communications Biology. December 2023.
Intravenous psilocybin administration attenuates mechanical hypersensitivity in a rat model of chronic pain. Kolbman N, Liu T, Guzzo P, Gilligan J, Mashour GA, Vanini G, Pal D. Current Biology. December 2023.
Past-year use prevalence of cannabidiol, cannabigerol, cannabinol, and Δ8-Tetrahydrocannabinol among US adults. Wilson-Poe AR, Smith T, Elliott MR, Kruger DJ, Boehnke KF. JAMA Network Open. December 2023.
Domestication through clandestine cultivation constrained genetic diversity in magic mushrooms relative to naturalized populations. McTaggart AR, McLaughlin S, Slot JC, McKernan K, Appleyard C, Bartlett TL, Weinert M, Barlow C, Warne LN Shuey LS, Drench A, James TY. Current Biology. December 2023.
The effects of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) on the Positive Valence Systems: A research domain criteria (RDoC)-informed systematic review. Pouyan N, Sisi FY, Kargar A, Scheidegger M, McIntyre RS, Morrow JD. CNS Drugs. November 2023.
Slouching towards engagement: interactions between people using psychedelics naturalistically and their healthcare providers. Boehnke KF, Cox K, Weston C, Herberholz M, Glynos N, Kolbman N, Fields CW, Barron J, Kruger DJ. Frontiers in Psychiatry. August 2023.
The relationship between naturalistic psychedelic use and clinical care in Canada. Glynos NG, Kruger DJ, Kolbman N, Boehnke K, Lucas P. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. July 2023.
Changed substance use after psychedelic experiences among individuals in Canada. Boehnke KF, Kruger DJ, Lucas P. International Journal of Mental Health Addiction. May 2023.
“How do I learn more about this?”: Utilization and trust of psychedelic information sources among people naturalistically using psychedelics. Kruger DJ, Enghoff O, Herberholz M, Barron J, Boehnke KF. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. April 2023.
Classical and non-classical psychedelic drugs induce common network changes in human cortex. Day R, Larkin TE, Huang Z, Tarnal V, Picton P, Vlisides PE, Janke E, McKinney A, Hudetz AG, Harris RE, Mashour GA. NeuroImage. January 2023.
Indolethylamine N-methyltransferase (INMT) is not essential for endogenous tryptamine-dependent methylation activity in rats. Glynos NG, Carter L, Lee SJ, Kim Y, Kennedy RT, Mashour GA, Wang MM, Borjigin J. Scientific Reports. January 2023.
Functional geometry of the cortex encodes dimensions of consciousness. Huang Z, Mashour GA, Hudetz AG. Nature Communications. January 2023.
- U.S. trends in registration for medical cannabis and reasons for use from 2016-2020. Boehnke KF, Dean O, Haffejee RL, Hosanagar A. Annals of Internal Medicine. June 2022.
- Applying lessons from cannabis to the psychedelic highway: Buckle up and build infrastructure. Boehnke KF, Davis AK, McAfee J. JAMA Health Forum. June 2022.
- Vital sign changes during intravenous ketamine infusions for depression. Keith KM, Geller J, Froehlich A, Arfken C, Oxley M, Nicholas M. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. May 2022.
- Dynamic reconfiguration of frequency-specific cortical coactivation patterns during psychedelic and anesthetized states induced by ketamine. Li D, Vlisides PE, Mashour GA. NeuroImage. April 2022.
- A mixed methods analysis of cannabis use routines for chronic pain management. Boehnke, K.F., Yakas, L., Scott, J.R., DeJonckheere M, Litinas E, Sisley S, Clauw DJ, Williams DA, McAfee J. Journal of Cannabis Research. January 2022.
- Neural dynamics in primate cortex during exposure to subanesthetic concentrations of nitrous oxide. Willsey MS, Nu CS, Nason SR, Schroeder KE, Hutchison BC, Welle EJ, Patil PG, Mashour GA, Chestek CA. eNeuro. June 2021.
- Cannabidiol use for fibromyalgia: Prevalence of use and perceptions of effectiveness in a large online survey. Boehnke KF, Gagnier JJ, Matallana L, Williams DA. Journal of Pain. May 2021.
- Neural Correlates of the Shamanic State of Consciousness. Huels ER, Kim H, Lee U, Bel-Bahar T, Colmenero AV, Nelson A, Blain-Moraes S, Mashour GA and Harris RE. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. March 2021.
- Cortical dynamics during psychedelic and anesthetized states induced by ketamine. Li D, Mashour GA. NeuroImage. August 2019.
- Biosynthesis and extracellular concentrations of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in mammalian brain. Dean JG, Lie T, Huff S, Sheler B, Barker SA, Strassman RJ, Wang MM, Borjigin J. Scientific Reports. June 2019.