Cannabinoids and Psychedelics: A Therapeutic Revolution

Sergio Arthuro · Renato Filev

Sep 2025 · Progress in Brain Research Book 296 · Academic Press

Ebook

358

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Eligible

This book will become available on September 1, 2025. You will not be charged until it is released.

About this ebook

Recent studies using cannabinoids, psychedelics, and other psychotropic substances have shown promising therapeutic potential. Clinical works on cannabinoids observed an important effect in epilepsy, and other studies found also encouraging outcomes in anxiety and dementia. Psychedelics like Ayahuasca and MDMA seem to decrease symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, respectively. Studies with ibogaine showed preliminary results in the treatment of substance abuse disorder. Altogether, it seems that these psychoactive compounds can be helpful, but there are still a lot of questions and controversies. In this special topic, we aim to provoke and articulate ideas to foster a broad discussion on these issues. We stimulate authors to submit original research, reviews, and essays, from basic science to clinical studies. This includes, but is not limited to, basic works on the neurotransmitter systems, the effects of drugs on animal and human perception, emotion and cognition, such as on memory, sleep and creativity, for example. We also encourage studies on the negative effects of casual use and dependence, since cannabis and other psychedelic substances can be a problem for adolescents and adults of some risk groups. In addition, we motivate religious, sociological and anthropological studies regarding the history of using psychoactive substances, both for traditional and modern societies, for example. Finally, we welcome philosophical works on existential questions about all these psychoactive substances. In all, we mean to convey challenges and misunderstandings in this complex research field. We believe that this interaction of neuropsychology and social sciences can be positive to foster our understanding of a wide range of neuro-psycho-sociological disturbances, which could facilitate the development of possible new treatments. - Cannabinoids, psychedelics and other substances have promising therapeutic potential, but there are still a lot of questions and controversies - We aim to foster a broad discussion on these issues, with both traditional biomedical research and social sciences knowledge from religious, anthropological and philosophical works - This interaction of neuropsychology and social sciences can enhance our understanding of a wide range of neuro-psycho-sociological disturbances, and potential treatments

About the author

Sergio Mota-Rolim studied Medicine at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte - UFRN (1998-2004), with undergraduate research in sleep, memory and anxiety. He did a M.Sc. in Neuroscience by the Federal University of São Paulo (2005-2007), working with the influence of biological rhythms in sleep and memory. He have a Ph.D. in Neuroscience by UFRN (2008-2012), investigating the epidemiological, cognitive-behavioral and neurophysiological aspects of lucid dreaming. He did a first post-doc at the Brain Institute and Onofre Lopes University Hospital (UFRN) (2013-2019), testing DMT for treatment-resistant depression. He is currently in a second post-doc working with sleep and COVID at the International COVID sleep study (ICOSS) (2020-2025).

Renato Filev studied Biological Sciences - Medical Modality at the Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP (2005-2008), with undergraduate research in alcohol, electroacupuncture and cannabinoids in rodent models. He have a Ph.D. in Neuroscience by UNIFESP (2010-2015), investigating the cannabinoids in behavioral models induced by drugs of abuse, He is currently does a post-doc study at the Department of Psychiatry in UNIFESP (2020-now), coordinating clinical trials with psychedelic and cannabinoid drugs for substance use disorder.

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