The Bloom #146 Free Edition open design

The psychedelic conference season is just around the corner.

I've just updated our Events page, which should now give a good overview of a variety of conferences that are happening in the coming 1.5 years.

In-person conferences include ICPR, which has just added a policy-focused day (Pathways of Access Summit) at the start of the conference; with the code BLOSSOM50, you can get a €50 discount.

Online you can also bump into me at the Psychedelics and Design Conference where I'll be speaking this Thursday. Get at 15% discount with the code FLORIS15.

If reading is more your thing, then I have the perfect article for you: a recap of March's psychedelic research.

Floris - Founder of Blossom

ps The Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research is recruiting multiple postdoctoral fellows interested in working at the forefront of psychedelic research. For further information on current opportunities, please contact JHPsychedelicsMedia@jhu.edu​

Latest Psychedelic Research

1 Psilocybin enhances insightfulness in meditation: a perspective on the global topology of brain imaging during meditation​

This placebo-controlled study (n=36) investigated fMRI data from experienced meditators undergoing focused attention and open monitoring meditation before and after a five-day psilocybin-assisted (22mg/70kg on day 4) meditation retreat. Psilocybin-induced positive derealization, coupled with enhanced open-monitoring meditation, correlated with the optimal transport distance between open monitoring and resting state. This suggests that enhanced meta-awareness through meditation combined with psilocybin may mediate insightfulness, offering potential novel brain markers for positive synergistic effects between mindfulness practices and psychedelics.

2 Hype or hope? High placebo response in major depression treatment with ketamine and esketamine: a systematic review and meta-analysis​

This meta-analysis (n=1100; s=14) of clinical trials on patients with depression (MDD) receiving ketamine or esketamine reveals a substantial placebo response, accounting for up to 72% of the overall treatment response. The study emphasizes the importance of considering the placebo response in clinical practice to maximize the benefit to patients.

3 Improvements in well-being following naturalistic psychedelic use and underlying mechanisms of change in older adults: A prospective cohort study​

This prospective cohort study (n=124, 62 older adults) investigates the effects of a guided psychedelic group session on well-being in older adults (OA) compared to younger adults (YA). Mixed linear regression analyses show significant improvements in well-being in both groups, particularly amplified in OA with a history of psychiatric diagnosis. Acute subjective psychedelic effects were attenuated in OA compared to YA, but a psychosocial measure of Communitas emerged as a predictor in OA, indicating the potential value of relational components in psychedelic group settings for OA.

More new research

• ​Oral prolonged-release ketamine in treatment-resistant depression - A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled multicentre trial of KET01, a novel ketamine formulation​

New on Blossom

1 Psychedelic Research Recap March 2024​

This month’s research highlights the potential of psychedelics in treating a range of mental health conditions, as well as the importance of considering individual factors and safety considerations in different populations.

2 Psychedelic Research Links 2024​

All the other papers that have come out this year that don't have a separate entry in the database.

Spotlight

1 Postdoctoral Research Fellows at JHU (Jobs)

The Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research is seeking multiple postdoctoral research fellows to work on human clinical trials involving healthy and patient populations, utilizing qualitative, quantitative, cognitive assessment, and brain imaging methods.

Working at the leading edge of psychedelic science in collaboration with some of the field’s foremost experts, successful candidates will have an opportunity to contribute to ground-breaking research for treating mental health conditions, enhancing well-being, and expanding our understanding of consciousness. Please reach out to JHPsychedelicsMedia@jhu.edu for further information about current openings.

2 Psychedelics Design Conference (Event)

I'm excited to invite you to the ​Psychedelics Design Conference​ happening this Thursday, April 11, 2024. Psychedelics Design and Blossom created a half-day Online Conference featuring well-known experts such as Paul Austin, Michel Rojkind, and yours truly.

Join us to explore the cultural nuances that shape our creative and psychedelic landscapes. Tickets are priced at £20 / $25 and ​available here​. Use code Floris15 for a 15% discount.

Molenvaart 76, Anna Paulowna, NH 1761AL
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​