ABSTRACT
Classic psychedelics and MDMA have a colorful history of recreational use, and both have recently been re-evaluated as tools for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Several studies have been carried out to assess potential long-term effects of a regular use on cognition, delivering distinct results for psychedelics and MDMA. However, to date knowledge is scarce on cognitive performance during acute effects of those substances. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we investigate how cognitive functioning is affected by psychedelics and MDMA during the acute drug effects and the sub-acute ("afterglow") window. Our quantitative analyses suggest that acute cognitive performance is differentially affected by psychedelics when compared to MDMA: psychedelics impair attention and executive function, whereas MDMA primarily affects memory, leaving executive functions and attention unaffected. Our qualitative analyses reveal that executive functioning and creativity may be increased during a window of at least 24 h after the acute effects of psychedelics have subsided, whereas no such results have been observed for MDMA. Our findings may contribute to inform recommendations on harm reduction for recreational settings and to help fostering differential approaches for the use of psychedelics and MDMA within a therapeutic framework.
Subject(s)
Cognition , Hallucinogens , N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine , Humans , Hallucinogens/pharmacology , N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine/pharmacology , N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine/adverse effects , N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine/administration & dosage , Cognition/drug effects , Executive Function/drug effects , Attention/drug effects , Memory/drug effectsABSTRACT
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Subject(s)
Adrenergic beta-Antagonists/adverse effects , Depression/chemically induced , Depressive Disorder/chemically induced , Adrenergic beta-Antagonists/therapeutic use , Heart Failure/drug therapy , Humans , Randomized Controlled Trials as TopicABSTRACT
SUMMARY: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic considerably affects health, wellbeing, social, economic and other aspects of daily life. The impact of COVID-19 on blood pressure (BP) control and hypertension remains insufficiently explored. We therefore provide a comprehensive review of the potential changes in lifestyle factors and behaviours as well as environmental changes likely to influence BP control and cardiovascular risk during the pandemic. This includes the impact on physical activity, dietary patterns, alcohol consumption and the resulting consequences, for example increases in body weight. Other risk factors for increases in BP and cardiovascular risk such as smoking, emotional/psychologic stress, changes in sleep patterns and diurnal rhythms may also exhibit significant changes in addition to novel factors such as air pollution and environmental noise. We also highlight potential preventive measures to improve BP control because hypertension is the leading preventable risk factor for worldwide health during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
