Call for Papers - "The Lost Foundations of Psychedelic Science"

https://home.liebertpub.com/cfp/the-lost-foundations-of-psychedelic-science/575/ 

Deadline for Manuscript Submission: January 31, 2026

Nathan H. Heller, Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, USA

Frederick S. Barrett, Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, USA

Many promising lines of psychedelic research were prematurely abandoned in the 1970s, their threads interrupted before their findings could shape the field’s trajectory. A number of these threads are also published in languages other than English, limiting their import to modern psychedelic science even if they were rediscovered. This special issue of Psychedelic Medicine aims to recover and revive those dormant threads. We are seeking scholarly contributions that bring visibility to neglected studies, re-examine forgotten research programs, and articulate how these lost foundations can inform and challenge today’s psychedelic science. Contributors are encouraged to mine historical literature, revisit overlooked paradigms, and connect past insights with current empirical, theoretical, or clinical frameworks. We especially encourage translation of forgotten but important papers from this past era.

We are particularly seeking two types of contributions:

• Historical Translations with Commentary: English translations of non-English psychedelic research articles that merit wider recognition. Submissions must include commentary situating the work in its historical and scientific context.

• Narrative Reviews of Dormant Research Programs: In-depth explorations of psychedelic research programs that were showing promise before being disrupted. Submissions should map out the trajectory of the original work and connect it to present-day questions, tools, and approaches.

We also welcome other creative scholarly formats that meaningfully engage with the theme of the special issue.

Pre-Submission Abstracts

Prospective contributors must first submit a pre-submission abstract (200–300 words) outlining their proposed topic, along with links to any historical source material they intend to analyze, translate, or build upon. Pre-submission abstracts will be reviewed by the guest editors for thematic fit. Those that are approved will be posted here to help guide prospective authors and prevent redundancy. Additional instructions for contributors are also available at that website, including guidance for translation-based submissions.

Pre-submission abstracts can be sent at any time and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Approved projects will be invited to submit full manuscripts for peer review. Final inclusion in the special issue is contingent on successful completion of the review process.