Psychedelics Briefs: Awakn to Study Ketamine Treatment for Gambling Addiction

Awakn Life Sciences on Tuesday announced it has begun recruiting participants for the first study to investigate the use of ketamine in the treatment of gambling addiction. The study will be led by Awakn head of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for addiction Celia Morgan, PhD, who is also a professor of psychopharmacology at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom.

An estimated 10 million people in the United States have a gambling addiction, a disorder for which there currently are no licensed pharmacological treatments. Awakn’s study of gambling addiction will look at both the urge to gamble and the “superstitious” thinking that it is accompanied by. The study will evaluate the potential of ketamine to modify the reward memories associated with gambling.

The new research initiative is part of an effort by Awakn to further develop and deliver psychedelic therapeutics to treat behavior addictions, which affect 27% of the U.S. adult population, as well as substance use disorders.

Mydecine, Johns Hopkins University studying use of psilocybin for smoking cessation

Mydecine Innovations Group has signed a 5-year research agreement with Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine to collaborate on research of the use of psilocybin to treat and cure smoking addiction, and eventually other therapeutic uses of psychedelic compounds.

Research will be led by Matthew W. Johnson, PhD, a Johns Hopkins professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. Johns Hopkins’ Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit has conducted previous research related to the therapeutic use of psychedelics. The agreement will allow the two parties to further collaborate on research of novel psychedelic therapies to treat mental health and addiction disorders.