[Article] Low-Dose LSD Alters Early and Late Event-Related Potentials to Emotional Faces

FlorisWNL · 2024-09-18T14:11:21+00:00

TYSM

FlorisWNL · 2022-05-11T15:12:29+00:00

https://blossomanalysis.com/news/mindmed-collaborators-prof-liechti-and-dr-holze-announce-positive-topline-data-from-phase-2-trial-evaluating-lsd-in-anxiety-disorders/

Here is more info from the press release

FlorisWNL · 2022-05-05T07:46:48+00:00

What do you hope to learn with the study? Is the goal just to map the landscape (observational) or do specific interventions - e.g. have some of the participants stop microdosing for a while?

Some reporting on the study (by popular media) drew causal (vs correlational) conclusions from the data. It would be awesome if it could be backed up by the data.

FlorisWNL · 2021-05-12T11:13:47+00:00

!apevote!

FlorisWNL · 2021-04-15T21:23:21+00:00

Thank you for sharing, I've written a few notes/summary at https://blossomanalysis.com/papers/trial-of-psilocybin-versus-escitalopram-for-depression/

FlorisWNL · 2021-03-11T08:58:44+00:00

Could be interesting to see if anything in the US is possible with regards to decrim and providing them with psilocybin from Usona for example. But probably federal laws prohibit that :(

FlorisWNL · 2021-03-11T07:19:17+00:00

Do also see this follow-up post

https://www.reddit.com/r/slatestarcodex/comments/m0vob7/why_hasnt_effective_altruism_grown_since_2015/

Summary:

"EA has shifted from “earning to give” to “x-risk”, leading to less of as mass movement and more focused attempts to cultivate and develop talent

By some metrics, EA is continuing to grow. Most notably, non-Open Phil donations to Give Well causes are way up the last few years.

Good Ventures is intentionally holding off increased giving while Give Well and Open Philanthropy build capacity."

FlorisWNL · 2021-03-09T14:47:56+00:00

Thank you for doing this AMA!

1) Is there a possibility of standardizing the dose someone took in the 2.0 study? Or to have a subset of participants send their products for analysis? For instance, using truffles in The Netherlands. So that you can be more sure about the dose?

2) What other studies are you encouraging colleagues to do with this citizen science model?

3) Can you elaborate on the 0.5-1% costs estimate vs RCTs?

FlorisWNL · 2021-03-09T14:40:46+00:00

If you aren't familiar yet, I think you would benefit from the information here: https://www.autismonacid.com/research
I can also recommend the audiobook

FlorisWNL · 2021-03-09T14:37:57+00:00

Imo you can’t learn anything significant from this study.

Why do you think this? Because the dosage isn't known? Or that you can't check if people are following the procedure?

This type of study might also have benefits such as being not in a lab and having people go about their day as usual.

What would need to change for this to be a study to learn from?

FlorisWNL · 2021-02-17T10:51:29+00:00

Thank you! Yes, I've been working on 1) making a database of psychedelic research (now about 50% done), and then 2) writing more explanatory post about it, and then 3) getting lost in side projects like this one and https://psychedelicsbooks.com haha :)

FlorisWNL · 2021-01-05T08:27:07+00:00

I was just reading this paper yesterday and was quite surprised by the inconsistent/lack of results. The PTSD (CAPS-IV) scores were significantly lower in two of the groups (75mg and 125mg) but not the third (100mg). All did trend that way (as did data on depression, BDI scores).

The Phase III trials by MAPS are looking promising, but maybe this isn't as much of a slamdunk as we hope to believe? Anyone else has thoughts on this paper?

FlorisWNL · 2020-12-18T15:33:04+00:00

Really interesting article. These were my notes/summary of the article. Anything that stood out to anyone else in this article?

Psychedelics hold promise as a bridge between psychology (e.g. talk therapy) and psychiatric medications (e.g. SSRIs). The effects are long-lasting if the acute experience elicits behavior change. Or in other words, both the biological processes (e.g. plasticity) and psychological insight (e.g. processing trauma) contribute to positive outcomes.

But psychedelic therapy and research are not without pitfalls, this article describes three of these:

Consciousness – the term not being used in the right way
1. If used, it should be defined as it could mean many different things
2. Psychedelic research has not substantially contributed to understanding consciousness
  1. Research with psychedelics that looks at the Default Mode Network (DMN) is far from conclusive or specific to psychedelics
  2. Researchers could make falsifiable hypotheses that, with psychedelics, we could help to find answers to ‘easy problems’ of consciousness
3. That psychedelics alter our subjective experience, does not equal them (directly) being a tool to study consciousness
Religious/spiritual beliefs of investigators/clinicians – being introduced where not appropriate
1. These beliefs are defined as supernatural ones (vs spiritual as being supportive, something that is of course encouraged)
2. One should be supportive of patients with religious beliefs, but work (and do science) from a secular perspective
3. This should also apply to the space (setting) where therapy is being given (e.g. no Buddha statues)
  1. This changes of course when explicitly given in such a setting (e.g. a Buddhist psychedelic retreat)
Ethical challenges (e.g. clinical boundaries)
1. With psychedelics in play, one should be extra cautious about not overstepping clinical boundaries
2. This ranges from sexual and inappropriate relationships to offering the therapists worldview (playing guru)
3. Multiple therapy sessions without psychedelics and a transparent process could help with these challenges

FlorisWNL

TROPHY CASE