Topic starter
There is a new scientific article that examines whether psychedelics might play a role in child and adolescent psychiatry in the future.
In it, we discuss:
The authors explain that there is renewed interest in substances such as psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, ketamine, and esketamine within psychiatry. This interest stems in part from the fact that there are still many unmet treatment needs in child and adolescent psychiatry, while existing medication does not always provide sufficient relief. Consequently, research is being conducted to determine whether these substances might offer some support for persistent symptoms in young people.
The focus of this article is not on a single new breakthrough, but on an overview of the research field. According to the authors, ongoing and planned studies focus primarily on adolescents aged 16 and older. Possible target areas mentioned include treatment-resistant depression, severe PTSD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anorexia nervosa, and core symptoms of autism spectrum disorders.
It also emerges that psychedelics are considered particularly interesting because they may have long-lasting effects after only a limited number of sessions. This raises questions about neuroplasticity, that is, the way in which the developing brain adapts and forms new connections. According to the authors, this is precisely where an important point of caution lies.
It is important, however, that the authors clearly warn that children and adolescents are still in a vulnerable developmental phase. Therefore, too little is known about long-term safety. Consequently, the article does not advocate for rapid widespread adoption, but rather for rigorously designed research, strong ethical safeguards, and robust regulatory oversight before these substances can potentially be used on young people.
In one sentence: this article shows that psychedelics may be of interest for difficult psychiatric disorders in young people, but that their use in children and adolescents can only be considered with great caution and based on sound research.
Spoiler
New article description
Abstract
The recent regulatory approval of esketamine in adults heralded the renaissance of research into psychedelic compounds. However, the relevance of this resurgence for children and adolescents remains unclear. This review examines the rationale for investigating psychedelics in pediatric psychopharmacology.
We recently reviewed literature, regulatory documents, and clinical trial registries addressing the psychiatric use of classic serotonergic psychedelics (eg, psilocybin, LSD), the entactogen MDMA, and dissociative compounds such as ketamine and esketamine in adolescent and young populations. Although ketamine is not a classic serotonergic psychedelic, it represents a paradigm for innovative pharmacological approaches.
Ongoing and planned trials primarily involve adolescents aged 16 years and older. Interest in these compounds is driven by significant unmet needs in child and adolescent psychiatry, where few medications are approved, and unsatisfactory therapeutic response is common. Potential targets include anorexia nervosa, core symptoms of autism spectrum disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, resistant depression, and severe PTSD. The fact that psychedelics may have long-lasting effects after only a few sessions raises the question of their effects on neuroplasticity.
Although psychedelic research has entered a new phase in adult psychiatry, translation to pediatric populations requires caution due to developmental vulnerabilities and limited long-term safety data. Rigorous clinical trials, ethical safeguards, and regulatory oversight are essential before broader application in children and adolescents can be considered.
Keywords: Adolescents; Children; Esketamine; Ketamine; LSD; MDMA; Pediatric; Psilocybin; Psychedelics; Psychopharmacology.
Posted : 18 March 2026 14:22