This webinar was recorded on 2 December 2024 as part of the PsychX webinar series.
Speaker: David Nutt, United Kingdom
Outline: The last decade has seen a remarkable resurgence of interest in psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin (from magic mushrooms) LSD and DMT (dimethyl tryptamine – the active ingredient of ayahuasca). This has been driven by the discovery that these psychedelics all act agonists of 5-HT2A receptors plus human imaging studies that reveal this action leads to profound alterations in brain measures of activity particularly in terms of increased entropy of EEG MEG and fMRI signals and reduced within-network, but increased between-network, connectivity. In addition they all can increase synaptic growth and brain plasticity. These findings not only explain the subjective nature of the psychedelic experience but also have implications for the treatment of internalising disorders such as depression addiction anorexia and OCD as well as neurological disorders such as stroke. Subsequent trials, particularly of psilocybin, in these disorders has revealed significant clinical benefits from even just a single administration. My talk will explore these brain mechanisms and clinical data and discuss the potential place of psychedelic medicine in the future of psychiatry.
PsychX webinar series: Mental health expertise should be readily available to all. PsychX conducts monthly sessions, fostering short and interactive discussions focused on translational neuroscience. This webinar series is organised by the ECNP PsychX Programme Committee.
This online series provides valuable insights for researchers and clinicians while promoting networking opportunities within the professional community.
