Jul 29, 2018
Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris speaks about the use of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression. Here are some key points from this interview:
- Psilocybin, a psychedelic, is a 5-HT2A agonist. Stimulation of the 5-HT2A receptor promotes neural plasticity
-A potential mechanism of action of psilocybin in treatment-resistant depression involves “brain resetting”
- Psilocybin has a good safety profile. However, patients may experience challenging psychological experiences that may turn out to be frightening for some people
- Administration of psychedelics needs to be done in a controlled environment with psychological support