Salivary Oxytocin as a Biomarker in Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy

Launched by TATIANA ABOULAFIA BRAKHA · Aug 15, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at how levels of a hormone called oxytocin in saliva change when patients take LSD as part of their therapy for depression and anxiety. The researchers want to understand how oxytocin reacts during this treatment because it might help them learn more about how psychedelic therapy works for people who haven’t found relief with other treatments.

To participate, individuals should be between 18 and 62 years old and currently undergoing therapy for anxiety or depression that hasn’t responded well to standard treatments. Participants will be asked to provide four saliva samples on the day they receive the LSD treatment and fill out some questionnaires about their feelings and experiences, as part of their usual care. It's important to note that this study won’t change their regular treatment routine. However, people with certain conditions, such as severe mental health issues, high suicide risk, or significant health problems, will not be eligible to join the study.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • ongoing psychotherapy with a certified psychotherapist, anxiety disorder or depression resistant to usual treatments, agreement to stop necessary medication
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Exclusion: psychotic or bipolar disorder, high suicidal risk, severe cardiovascular disease, severe liver disease, neurological disease of the central nervous system, pregnancy and breastfeeding