Updated 3/31/2020.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has taken a toll on healthcare systems across the world. The goal of this article is to briefly look at pharmacological treatments for this disease — whether clinical or experimental.

Firstly, let’s consider a shortlist that was compiled by China earlier in March, 2020. The potential treatments from the Handbook of COVID-19 Prevention and Treatment — compiled by clinical experience by the Zhejiang University School of Medicine (full text can be found here):

And see the following sheet for some contradictions that were noted in clinical treatment in China:

Abstract

Neuroimaging studies of the psychedelic state offer a unique window onto the neural basis of conscious perception and selfhood. Despite well understood pharmacological mechanisms of action, the large-scale changes in neural dynamics induced by psychedelic compounds remain poorly understood. Using source-localised, steady-state MEG recordings, we describe changes in functional connectivity following the controlled administration of LSD, psilocybin and low-dose ketamine, as well as, for comparison, the (non-psychedelic) anticonvulsant drug tiagabine. We compare both undirected and directed measures of functional connectivity between placebo and drug conditions. We observe a general decrease in directed functional connectivity for all three psychedelics, as measured…

Highlights

•Social recognition memory (SRM) consolidation engages the mPFC.

•The blockade of NMDA receptors in the mPFC impaired SRM consolidation.

•The blockade of AMPA/kainate receptors in the mPFC impaired SRM consolidation.

Abstract

Social recognition memory (SRM) enables the distinction between familiar and strange conspecifics, a fundamental ability for sociable species, such as rodents and humans. There is mounting evidence that the medial prefrontal cortex plays a prominent role both in shaping social behavior and in recognition memory. Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, and activity of its ionotropic receptors is known to mediate both synaptic plasticity and consolidation of…

Abstract

People often say that during unpleasant events, e.g. traumatic incidents such as car accidents, time slows down (i.e. time is overestimated). However aversive events can elicit at least two dissociable subtypes of reactions: fear (transient and relating to an imminent event) and anxiety (diffuse and relating to an unpredictable event). We hypothesised that anxiety might have an opposite effect on time perception compared to fear. To test this we combined a robust anxiety manipulation (threat-of-shock) with a widely used timing task in which participants judged whether the duration of a stimulus was long or short. In line with our…

Abstract

Background

MDMA markets have undergone substantial changes internationally, with increasing manufacture of high purity MDMA recorded. This study examined trends in MDMA-related deaths in Australia, investigating characteristics, circumstances and toxicology of these deaths.

Methods

Analysis of MDMA-related deaths in Australia between 2001 and 2018, extracted from the National Coronial Information System (NCIS). Deaths were categorized into (1) drug toxicity deaths, where MDMA (with and without other drug) toxicity was considered by the coroner to be the underlying cause of death; and (2) other cause deaths, with MDMA (with and without other drug) intoxication/toxicity considered contributory to death.

Results

392 deaths were identified, with…

Abstract

The practice of “microdosing”, or the use of repeated, very low doses of LSD to improve mood or cognition, has received considerable public attention, but empirical studies are lacking. Controlled studies are needed to investigate both the therapeutic potential and the neurobiological underpinnings of this pharmacologic treatment. Methods. The present study was designed to examine the effects of a single low dose of LSD (13 micrograms) vs placebo on resting-state functional connectivity and cerebral blood flow in healthy young adults. Twenty men and women, aged 18–35, participated in two fMRI scanning sessions in which they received placebo or LSD under…

Abstract

Anhedonia is defined as a diminished ability to experience interest or pleasure, and is a critical psychopathological dimension of major depressive disorder (MDD). The purpose of the current systematic review is to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of pharmacological treatments on measures of anhedonia in adults with MDD. Electronic databases Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar were searched from inception to June 1, 2018 for longitudinal studies utilizing pharmacotherapy for the treatment of anhedonia in patients with MDD. A total of 17 eligible studies were identified (i.e., evaluated the effects of pharmacotherapy on a measure of anhedonia)…

Abstract

Reports of strategies to prevent and treat the opioid epidemic are growing. Significant attention has been paid to the benefits of opioid addiction research, clinical prescribing, and public policy initiatives in curbing the epidemic. However, the role of the anaesthesiologist in minimising opioid use and misuse remains underexplored. For many patients with an opioid use disorder, the perioperative period represents the source of initial exposure. As perioperative physicians, anaesthesiologists are in the unique position to manage pain effectively while simultaneously decreasing opioid consumption. Multiple opportunities exist for anaesthesiologists to minimise opioid exposure and prevent subsequent persistent opioid use. We present…