A5066246817- Psychedelics and Drug Studies
- Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Sleep and related disorders
- Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
- Diet and metabolism studies
- Chemical synthesis and alkaloids
- Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques
- Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis
- EEG and Brain-Computer Interfaces
- Metabolomics and Mass Spectrometry Studies
- Advanced MRI Techniques and Applications
- Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research
- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Amino Acid Enzymes and Metabolism
- Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine Studies
- Advanced Chemical Sensor Technologies
- Genetic Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Intensive Care Unit Cognitive Disorders
- Neuroscience and Music Perception
- Coffee research and impacts
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
University of Zurich
2015-2025
University Hospital of Zurich
2017-2025
Institute of Pharmacology
2022
University Psychiatric Hospital
2018
There is growing scientific evidence for the therapeutic benefits of Amazonian plant-based psychedelic "ayahuasca" neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. However, there are certain challenges when incorporating botanical ayahuasca into biomedical research clinical therapy environments. Formulations inspired by ayahuasca, which contain specific standardized active components, a potential remedy.
Abstract In this study, for the first time, we explored a dataset of functional magnetic resonance images collected during focused attention and open monitoring meditation before after five-day psilocybin-assisted retreat using recently established approach, based on Mapper algorithm from topological data analysis. After generating subject-specific maps two groups (psilocybin vs. placebo, 18 subjects/group) experienced meditators, organizational principles were uncovered graph tools,...
Learning letter-speech sound correspondences is a major step in reading acquisition and severely impaired children with dyslexia. Up to now, it remains largely unknown how quickly neural networks adopt specific functions during audiovisual integration of linguistic information when prereading learn correspondences. Here, we simulated the process learning 20 (6.13-7.17 years) at varying risk for dyslexia by training artificial within single experimental session. Subsequently, acquired...
Aims γ‐Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is used as a treatment for narcolepsy and alcohol withdrawal recreational substance. Nevertheless, there are limited data on the pharmacokinetics pharmacokinetic‐pharmacodynamic relationships of GHB in humans. We characterized pharmacokinetic profile exposure‐psychotropic effect relationship Methods Two oral doses (25 35 mg kg −1 ) were administered to 32 healthy male subjects (16 each dose) using randomized, placebo‐controlled, cross‐over design. Results Maximal...
Abstract Background Recent interest in the clinical use of psychedelics has highlighted plant-derived medicines like ayahuasca showing rapid-acting and sustainable therapeutic effects various psychiatric conditions. This traditional Amazonian plant decoction contains N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) β-carboline alkaloids such as harmine. However, its is often accompanied by distressing nausea, vomiting, intense hallucinations, possibly due to complex pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK-PD)...
Abstract Introduction Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB, clinically administrated as sodium oxybate) is an endogenous GHB/GABAB receptor agonist that regulates important homeostatic functions such eating, sexual behavior, and the sleep-wake cycle. Its action used in narcolepsy fibromyalgia, which GHB improves nighttime slow wave sleep (SWS) while reducing next-day sleepiness. In major depressive disorder (MDD), main clinical features include subjective objective alterations of quality, increased...
Recently, the Amazonian plant medicine “ayahuasca”—containing psychedelic compound N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and numerous β-carboline alkaloids, such as harmine—has been suggested to exhibit beneficial effects in patients with affective other mental health disorders. Although ayahuasca ingestion is considered safe, its pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics tolerability profile pose some challenges may limit clinical applicability vulnerable patient populations. While overdosing admixture of...
Abstract Gamma‐hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is a short‐chain fatty acid that occurs naturally in the mammalian brain and prescribed as medication against narcolepsy or used drug of abuse. Particularly, its use knock‐out cases drug‐facilitated crimes major importance forensic toxicology. Because rapid metabolism resulting narrow detection windows (<12 hours urine), GHB remains challenging. Thus, there an urgent call for new markers to improve reliable use. In framework randomized,...
Rationale: The psychedelic effects of the traditional Amazonian botanical decoction known as ayahuasca are often attributed to agonism at brain serotonin 5-HT2A receptors by N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). To reduce first pass metabolism oral DMT, preparations additionally contain reversible monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitors, namely β-carboline alkaloids such harmine. However, there is lacking biochemical evidence substantiate this pharmacokinetic potentiation DMT in via systemic MAO-A...
Background: In recent years, both meditation and psychedelics have attracted rapidly increasing scientific interest. While the current state of evidence suggests promising potential psychedelics, such as psilocybin, to enhance meditative training, it remains equivocal whether these effects are specifically bound psilocybin or if other classical might show synergistic with practice. One particularly candidate is N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), an active ingredient ayahuasca. Aim: This study...
In forensic toxicology, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) still represents one of the most challenging drugs abuse in terms analytical detection and interpretation. Given its rapid elimination, window GHB common matrices is short (maximum 12 h urine). Additionally, differentiation from naturally occurring endogenous GHB, challenging. Thus, novel biomarkers to extend are urgently needed. The present study aimed at searching new potential use by means mass spectrometry (MS) metabolomic profiling...
Summary Clinical guidelines recommend sodium oxybate (SXB; the salt of γ‐hydroxybutyrate) for treatment disturbed sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness in narcolepsy, yet underlying mode action is elusive. In a randomised controlled trial 20 healthy volunteers, we aimed at establishing neurochemical changes anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) following SXB‐enhanced sleep. The ACC core neural hub regulating vigilance humans. At 2:30 a.m., administered double‐blind cross‐over manner an oral dose...
Abstract Sleep inertia is a disabling state of grogginess and impaired vigilance immediately upon awakening. The adenosine receptor antagonist, caffeine, widely used to reduce sleep symptoms, yet the initial, most severe impairments are hardly alleviated by post-awakening caffeine intake. To ameliorate this more potently, we developed an innovative, delayed, pulsatile-release formulation targeting efficacious dose briefly before planned We comprehensively tested in two separate studies....
The locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenergic system may provide a potential new target for pharmacological insomnia treatment, particularly in patients suffering from elevated distress. selective α2 agonist dexmedetomidine attenuates LC activity sub-anesthetic doses, yet no adequate non-parental delivery systems of are currently available. To examine the feasibility oro-mucosal administration, we developed two distinct - one sublingual and buccal oro-mucosal, fast-disintegrating formulas tailored...
Abstract Objective Gamma‐hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is an endogenous GHB‐/GABA‐B receptor agonist and a narcolepsy treatment. However, GHB also abused for its prohedonic effects. On neuronal level, it was shown that increases regional cerebral blood flow in limbic areas such as the right anterior insula (rAI) cingulate cortex (ACC). We aimed to further explore association between subjective signatures of GHB. Method assessed effects resting‐state functional connectivity (rsFC) rAI‐ ACC‐seed 19...
Abstract Sodium oxybate (γ-hydroxybutyrate, GHB) is an endogenous GHB/GABAB receptor agonist, clinically used to promote slow-wave sleep and reduce next-day sleepiness in disorders such as narcolepsy fibromyalgia. The neurobiological signature of these unique therapeutic effects remains elusive. Promising current neuropsychopharmacological approaches understand the neural underpinnings specific drug address cerebral resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) patterns neurometabolic...
Abstract Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) remains a challenging clinical/forensic toxicology drug. Its rapid elimination to endogenous levels mainly causes this. Especially in drug-facilitated sexual assaults, sample collection often occurs later than the detection window for GHB. We aimed investigate new GHB conjugates with amino acids (AA), fatty acids, and its organic acid metabolites their suitability as ingestion/application markers urine following controlled administration humans. used...