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Patterns of use of psilocybe mushrooms among students of art universities and its influence on artistic creation
Matoušková, Adéla ; Vacek, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Zachová, Kateřina (referee)
Background: Psychedelics are substances that affect the nervous system and have the ability to influence thinking, perception and feelings of the user. In the Czech Republic, psilocybe mushrooms are the second most used psychedelic. 5.7% of the population over the age of 15 used them at least once in their lifetime, and over 70,000 people in the last 12 months. Research shows that this hallucinogen has potential uses in medicine and psychotherapy, especially in the treatment of depression, anxiety or PTSD. In the past, psychedelics were associated with the phenomenon of psychedelic art, in which artists were inspired in their works by psychedelic experiences they achieved under the influence of hallucinogenic substances, which entails significant risks. Patterns of magic mushroom use among artistic college students have not yet been adequately described. Objectives: The aim of the work is to find out the patterns of use of psychedelic mushrooms among university students with an artistic focus, to find out what effect the use has on their artistic creation and what is the motivation for using it. In this work, I will focus on the prevalence and amount of hallucinogenic mushrooms used by students and try to evaluate whether there is a connection between the pattern of using psilocybin mushrooms and...
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Psilocybin: the mechanism of action and therapeutic potential
Mintálová, Tímea ; Novotný, Jiří (advisor) ; Vejmola, Čestmír (referee)
Psilocybin is a psychoactive molecule derived from tryptamine precursors that is present in some mushrooms, especially those belonging to the Psilocybe genus. Its pharmacologically active metabolite, produced by dephosphorylation, is psilocin, which can cross the blood-brain barrier. It is believed that the psychedelic effects of psilocin result from its partial agonistic activities on 5-HT2A receptors, the main receptor subtype among serotonin G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Psilocin also binds to a number of other subtypes of these receptors, but the effects it has on these receptors have not been fully explored yet. Psilocybin has been studied for its potential use in treating anxiety, depression, and disorders caused by addictive substances when administered in concentrations sufficient to produce psychedelic effects. The pharmacological potential of psilocybin is without the risks of potential addiction or overdose compared to other psychoactive drugs such as cocaine, alcohol, methamphetamine, and others. Due to the increasing worldwide trend of addiction, overdose, and suicidal deaths, it is necessary to seek new therapeutic alternatives. However, it is also necessary to assess various contraindications that may limit the possibility of using psilocybin as a pharmacological therapy....
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Voltammetric Determination of Psilocin and Psilocybin at Carbon-fiber PLA Electrode
Choińska-Mlynarczyk, Marta ; Navrátil, Tomáš
Psilocin and psilocybin are two neuroactive drugs. They can be used in experimental treatment in psychiatry, moreover, also as illicit drugs to achieve hallucinations and relaxation. Easy access to these two alkaloids indicates that their monitoring in the environment and the body fluids is necessary. Electrochemistry offers fast, simple, and easy methods of their determination using laboratory-manufactured electrodes from 3D printed carbon-fiber polylactic materials. This technique of electrode fabrication can be characterized by many benefits, e.g., desired shape or diameter of the electrode, well-developed voltammetric signals, and low background currents.
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Antidepressant potential of serotonergic psychedelics in preclinical research
Dušková, Valentýna ; Vejmola, Čestmír (advisor) ; Skálová, Kateřina (referee)
The treatments for depression available in contemporary medicine have a number of drawbacks. Modern antidepressants, despite fewer side effects than conventional ones, have a slow onset of action and their effectiveness is often individual. Recent studies of psychedelics have indicated their promising to extraordinary potential in the treatment of depression. Clinical research has made significant progress in this direction, as have a growing number of preclinical studies. Psychedelics potentiate signaling pathways and protein expression related to neurogenesis and cell viability and induce an increase in dendritic spines and dendritic branching. At the behavioural level, psychedelics have been shown to attenuate depressive behavioural changes, suppressing anxiety and anhedonia. This paper summarizes the effects of psychedelics in preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies, taking into account the neurobiology of depression, i.e., mainly at the level of neuroplasticity and observed behavioural changes. The first part of the thesis is devoted to the general characteristics of depression and psychedelics, followed by an introduction to preclinical experimental approaches. The central part then describes and discusses individual studies. Keywords: depression; animal models; psychedelics; LSD;...
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Analysis of Psilocybe constituents I.
Kobrlová, Tereza ; Jahodář, Luděk (advisor) ; Jáč, Pavel (referee)
The goal of this work was to determine the contents of two main alkaloid types of Psilocybe species occurring in the Czech Republic. Correct identification of species was checked by mycology specialist. Qualitative and quantitative determination of substances contained in three collected species of the genus Psilocybe was carried out by LC-MSn (LIT). Samples were mainly collected in the north and northeast Bohemia. Three species of Psilocybe were found. The most found species were P. serbica var. bohemica then P. semilanceata and only one deposit of P. serbica var. arcana. Total of 35 deposits within eighteen locations. From qualitative point of view, the two main alkaloids were confirmed in all samples. Quantitative results for content of psilocin and psilocybin (in this order) are: P. bohemica 0,005 - 0,152 %, 0,000 - 0,048 %; P. semilanceata 0,087 - 0,337 %, 0,000 - 0,005 %; P. arcana 0,018 - 0,031 %, 0,003 - 0,022 %. Results in all locations are similar and rather dependent on the fungi type. Our results are based on dry mass. This work brought fundamental knowledge for future optimisation of analytical methods and assumptions for the project extension of other locations and determination of content of minority substances alongside the content of majority substances.
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Psychedelic experience and the afterglow effect from the perspective of healthy volunteers in an experimental study: a qualitative analysis
Červenková, Agáta ; Kalina, Kamil (advisor) ; Vacek, Jaroslav (referee)
Background: Psilocybin is today the most studied psychedelic substance in neuroscience for its psychotomimetic and therapeutic effects. One of the institutions in the Czech Republic that studies this substance is the National Institute of Mental Health, where a clinical evaluation of its effects and safety is underway. The action and safety of this substance is examined here in terms of acute intoxication, but also in terms of long-term effects. Aim: To determine how volunteers perceive the experience with psilocybin administered in a controlled experimental study environment and whether they have experienced any afterglow effects after the cessation of acute intoxication for 28 days after administration, as well as how these effects occur and how long they persist. Methods: Data was obtained using semi-structured interviews. The research group consists of 20 interviews with 10 healthy volunteers of the clinical study at NUDZ. Interviews were conducted on day 28 after administration of an active dose of psilocybin or placebo. A qualitative thematic analysis of these interviews was performed in order to identify topics within the framework set by the research questions. Results: The results showed that for the respondents, the experience with the active dose of psilocybin was significant in terms of...
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Serotonergic hallucinogenes and their therapeutic use
Bouberl, David ; Novotný, Jiří (advisor) ; Vejmola, Čestmír (referee)
Serotonergic hallucinogens are a group of substances that induce changes in consciousness based on their affinity for some of the serotonin receptors - especially 5-HT2A. The best known substances in this group include LSD, psilocybin or mescaline. During the 1950's and 1960's, initial research into the therapeutic uses of these substances took place, but studies from this period did not meet today's methodological standards. However, the results of recent studies point to the potential therapeutic use of psilocybin or LSD in the treatment of depression / anxiety, addiction and OCD. The aim of this work is to summarize current knowledge about selected serotonergic hallucinogens, their chemical properties, mechanisms of action and especially about the possibilities of using these substances in psychotherapy.
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Psychedelics in psychology
DRAHÁ, Eliška
The bachelor thesis focuses on the current renaissance of the use of psychedelics in psychological research and practice. The thesis offers both a view into the history of the use of the effects associated with the use of psychedelics, and above all focuses on the findings of the latest research. It summarizes the research findings dealing with their therapeutic effects in the treatment of mental illnesses. Two areas of psychedelic use in treatment are described in more detail. There is an overview of researches from 1965 to 2016 dealing with dying patients in the terminal stage of the disease. The second area includes psychological factors affecting addiction treatment and summarizes the results of several studies dealing with different types of addiction.
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Impact of psychoactive drugs on the central nervous system
HRUBEŠOVÁ, Tereza
Substances of various origins belong among psychoactive drugs. These substances impact the central nervous system, where they affect cerebral function and cause temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness and behaviour. This thesis presents a review of hallucinogens. Intoxication by these substances induces a state reminiscent of trance, dreaming or meditation which is exploited for recreation, ceremonial and mythological purposes around the world. Classification of psychoactive substances can be performed by many criteria, ranging from origin and chemical composition, through their effects on the central nervous system, to their legislative status. The first known use of psychoactive drugs dates to the Paleolithic period (2 500 000 A.C.N. - 8 000 A.C.N.). Their usage varies greatly among cultures; drug commonly used in one culture can be unknown to another one. Usage and popularity of psychoactive drug differ in ritual habits in cultures and across continents. In this Bachelor thesis, the mechanism of impact and signs of intoxication by six compounds are described. These include ibogaine, tropane alkaloids, harmala alkaloid, psilocybe, dimethyltryptamine and mescaline. Cultural and historical context is also provided.
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