The surprising new treatment for mental illness - Anees Bahji
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सबटाइटल्स (102 segments)
DownloadIn April 1943, Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann accidentally exposed himself
to a drug he derived from ergot fungus
and recorded its unexpected, mind-altering effects.
The drug, lysergic acid diethylamide— or LSD—
was soon heralded for its psychiatric potential.
But how do LSD and other psychedelic drugs affect the body?
And can they actually be medicinal?
Psychedelics are a class of drugs that alter mood, cognition, and perception,
often triggering unusual states of consciousness like hallucinations.
They all interact with the body's serotonin neurotransmitter system,
which regulates many processes, including mood, sleep-wake cycles,
appetite, and memory.
Lower rates of serotonin signaling
are associated with impaired sleep and attention
and diminished responses to positive information.
Meanwhile, higher rates tend to track with more positive moods
and greater emotional stability.
All psychedelic drugs increase the amount of serotonin signaling.
However, they interact with the serotonin system in different ways
and affect other neurotransmitter systems,
all of which determines their unique effects and medical potential.
Hofmann’s discovery inspired a wave of psychedelic research
that largely stalled in the 1970s,
due to concerns over breaches in research ethics,
as well as conservative drug policies.
However, it's picked back up in recent decades,
and some psychedelics show promise
in addressing even treatment-resistant conditions.
Take LSD and the mushroom-derived compound psilocybin:
when they cross the blood-brain barrier, receptors recognize them as serotonin.
Interestingly, they tend to suppress the areas
that make up the brain’s “default mode network”
and initiate more connections with other brain regions.
The default mode network is important in self-referential thinking
and mind wandering.
It’s thought that, by suppressing its activity,
LSD and psilocybin may generate the distinctive psychedelic experience
of ego dissolution,
characterized by a radical shift in self-perception.
The default mode network is also associated with mental health disorders.
By disrupting its activity, psilocybin and LSD might help normalize it.
This may be why they can reduce the symptoms of conditions like depression—
potentially doing so faster than traditional treatments.
Trials that pair LSD or psilocybin with talk therapy also show promise
in treating disordered tobacco and alcohol use,
perhaps by similarly altering people’s self-perception.
And they seem to activate receptors that facilitate social behavior,
empathy, and gratitude,
leading people to feel greater harmony with a larger community.
It's thought that this is why they can help alleviate the distress
people living with advanced cancer diagnoses experience,
as preliminary trials suggest.
Overall, LSD and psilocybin seem to function similarly,
but LSD is more potent
and associated with longer-lasting psychedelic experiences.
MDMA, meanwhile, triggers the release of neurotransmitters,
including dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin,
and elevates levels of the hormone oxytocin.
These changes generate effects like heightened heart rate
and sensory perception,
as well as feelings of euphoria, bonding, empathy, and safety.
Because of this, researchers have begun investigating MDMA
as a possible therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder.
MDMA releases oxytocin, sometimes referred to as the bonding hormone,
which may help reinforce an environment of safety, trust, and connectedness.
MDMA is also thought to modulate activity in the amygdala,
which plays a central role in processing fear.
PTSD can be difficult to treat
because of how painful it is to revisit traumatic experiences.
However, it’s thought that MDMA could help patients discuss trauma
without debilitatingly negative emotions,
and potentially aid in uncoupling traumatic memories
from the threatening feelings they usually surface—
a process known as fear extinction.
More studies are needed to test this theory
and determine MDMA’s safety and effectiveness.
Psychedelics also show some promise
in helping address chronic pain and cluster headaches.
And unlike pain-relieving opioids, they aren’t considered addictive.
However, they're not without risks.
Some research suggests psychedelics can be stressful on the heart.
And their extensive psychological effects
make it hard to predict individual responses.
Psychedelics can “unmask” pre-existing psychiatric disorders, like schizophrenia,
which is why clinical trials usually have thorough screening processes.
And paranoia, psychosis, and hallucinations—
which can persist even after the drug has been metabolized—
are potential side effects.
Therapy sessions that employ psychedelics usually require preparation—
like mindfulness and breathing techniques—
and should take place in safe, supportive environments
with emergency protocols in place.
We’ve learned a lot about psychedelics since Hofmann’s fateful experiment.
But there’s much more to uncover— and not without challenges.
Psychoactive substances like psychedelics pose issues for blind clinical trials,
since their effects can be pretty obvious to participants
who shouldn’t know they’re receiving treatment.
To fully understand their therapeutic potential,
we need many more scientifically, ethically rigorous trials
that weed out bias, prioritize participant welfare, and grapple with complex results.
Who knows?
The results could be mind bending.
Key Vocabulary (50)
toward
"Go to school."
belonging
"Cup of tea."
also
"You and me."
inside
"In the house."
specific
"That book."
A third-person singular pronoun used to refer to an object, animal, or situation that has already been mentioned or is clear from context. It is also frequently used as a dummy subject to talk about time, weather, or distance.
Used to show who is intended to have or use something, or to explain the purpose or reason for an action. It is also frequently used to indicate a specific duration of time.
A preposition used to indicate that people or things are together, in the same place, or performing an action together. It can also describe the instrument used to perform an action or a characteristic that someone or something has.
A conjunction used to compare two things that are equal in some way. It is most commonly used in the pattern 'as + adjective/adverb + as' to show similarity.
Used to identify a specific person, thing, or idea that is physically close to the speaker or has just been mentioned. It can also refer to the present time or a situation that is currently happening.
A coordinating conjunction used to connect two statements that contrast with each other. It is used to introduce an added statement that is different from what has already been mentioned.
A preposition used to show the method or means of doing something, or to identify the person or thing that performs an action. It frequently appears in passive sentences to indicate the agent or before modes of transport.
A third-person plural pronoun used to refer to two or more people, animals, or things previously mentioned. It is also commonly used as a singular pronoun to refer to a person whose gender is unknown or to someone who identifies as non-binary.
Used to refer to the whole quantity or amount of something, or to every member of a group. It indicates that nothing has been left out from the total being discussed.
A possessive determiner used to show that something belongs to or is associated with two or more people or things previously mentioned. It is also commonly used as a singular possessive when a person's gender is unknown or to be gender-neutral.
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Dig into the science of how psychedelic drugs affect your brain, and how they could be used for psychiatric treatment. -- In 1943, chemist Albert Hofmann accidentally exposed himself to a...
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