Today’s episode is the first in our series focusing on psilocybin’s potential uses as medicine. You are going to hear from one of the premier researchers into this drug, how he runs his studies, and what he has discovered concerning its effects and uses as a medicine.

Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu is a member of the Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences faculty at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a Guest Researcher at the National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Neuroimaging Research Branch. There, he studies the effects of psychedelic drugs in humans with a particular focus of psilocybin as a potential aid in the treatment of addiction.

Dr. Garcia-Romeu explains the biochemical effects of psilocybin in the human body. He delves into what his research has uncovered about the drug’s potential to treat addiction disorders. What is noteworthy about his research is that is has shown that psychedelic treatments have been able to help some people make lasting changes in regard to alcohol and nicotine addiction.

Dr. Garcia-Romeu also discusses psilocybin’s use in treating anxiety and depression. The research has shown that psilocybin has the potential to help patients with life-threatening and terminal illnesses cope with the psychological burdens of their disease. He also explains some of the ongoing research into the efficacy of psilocybin to have a lasting impact on depression in general.

In this episode:

• How psilocybin works at a biochemical level

• What the research is saying about the uses of psilocybin to treat addiction disorders

• Possible reasons why some people respond more significantly to psilocybin treatments than others

• Psilocybin’s effect on treating mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression

• Safeguards to avoid possible adverse effects during psilocybin studies

   

Quotes:

“Administering high doses of drugs like psilocybin and LSD seemed to really help people make some breakthroughs into having greater insight into their alcohol abuse and having more plasticity in their ability to change their behavior going forward.” [7:06]

“The more mystical effects that people are having, the better outcomes you’re seeing.” [23:25]

“These were real improvements in the quality of life that were measurable, statistically significant, and enduring.” [28:42]

Links:

Get 20% off everything at Octagon Biolabs with coupon code 'plantmedicine’

Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research

clinicaltrials.gov

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