Modulation of Social Cognition via Hallucinogens and “Entactogens”.
Preller, K. H., Vollenweider, F. X.
This literature review (2019) discusses controlled experimental studies on the effects of psychedelics (e.g. LSD, psilocybin, MDMA) on social cognition and behavior to treat disorders characterized by social dysfunctions such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). It also discusses persisting knowledge gaps into sex-specific drug effects and objective data on social behavior within the framework of MDMA- and hallucinogen-assisted therapy. The study suggests hallucinogen-based treatment methods and the development of novel medication for trans-diagnostic dysfunction in social cognition and noted that entactogens and hallucinogens have consistently shown prosocial effects and have identified alterations in social processing and behavior as major factors for the efficacy of treatments involving them.
Abstract
Social cognition is a fundamental ability in human everyday lives. Deficits in social functioning also represent a core aspect of many psychiatric disorders. Yet, despite its significance, deficits in social cognition skills are insufficiently targeted by current treatments. Hallucinogens and entactogens have been shown to have the potential to modulate social processing. This article reviews the literature on the influence of hallucinogens and entactogens on social processing in controlled experimental studies in humans and elucidates the underlying neurobiological and neuropharmacological mechanisms. Furthermore, it identifies current knowledge gaps and derives implications for hallucinogen-assisted treatment approaches as well as the development of novel medication for trans-diagnostic impairments in social cognition.