Future of psychedelic therapies in medicine explored

Psychedelic medicine is a controversial but intriguing area of science that continues to generate interest from the health and medical sector. Could this potential therapy be used to treat one of the deadliest psychiatric disorders, anorexia nervosa?  Do the compounds in psychedelics have a role to play in the management of depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? What about any potential negative side effects that could come with their use?

The Levels of Explanation in Psychedelic Psychiatry conference, organised by the University of Adelaide’s Department of Philosophy and the Monash Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies, will see the nation’s leading experts delve into the latest research, ethics and concerns surrounding the controlled use of psychedelics in mental health settings.

“While I’m not condoning the recreational use of psychedelic drugs, I do believe they have a place in the medical field under very strict, controlled circumstances,” says the University of Adelaide’s Professor Philip Gerrans, a philosophy expert and convener of the conference.

“The use of psychedelics to treat psychiatric disorders is not new and there is growing support for these drugs to become a mainstream treatment for mental health conditions such as depression.

“We know that different types of psychedelics are showing promise as a potential treatment for PTSD and end of life depression or anxiety and in helping people develop an altered and more positive perspective on life, but we still have much more to learn about how they work.

“In particular, it remains a puzzle how the drastic changes to perception and cognition in a psychedelic episode can lead to long term improvement for people with debilitating mental health issues.”

In psychedelic experience, people often report a loss of a sense of self or the boundary between self and world. The relationship between neural mechanisms and this type of experience and positive outcomes is Professor Gerrans’ field of interest.
 

"We know that different types of psychedelics are showing promise as a potential treatment for PTSD and end of life depression or anxiety and in helping people develop an altered and more positive perspective on life, but we still have much more to learn about how they work."Professor Philip Gerrans, Department of Philosophy, University of Adelaide

Dr Paul Liknaitzky is the head of the Clinical Psychedelic Lab at Monash University and will be presenting his latest research on major clinical trials into psychedelic therapies.

While there has been a resurgence in support for the introduction of psychedelics in mainstream medicine, the University of Adelaide’s Professor Jon Jureidini says the use of these drugs needs to follow the principles of evidence-based medicine.

“There is huge push for psychedelics to become a mainstream treatment for mental health issues, but we need to make sure that demand doesn’t outweigh the actual evidence for using these drugs as medication,” says Professor Jureidini.

The researchers are calling for more clinical trials to be undertaken to validate the positive effects of psychedelics on mental health conditions and hope this gathering of scientific experts across all facets of the field will boost research in this area.

“The aim of this major, national conference is to ensure that the expansion of the medical use of psychedelics is securely grounded in the best interdisciplinary science, which is why we have invited clinicians, psychiatrists, ethicists and fundamental neuroscientists to present and discuss their work to keep psychedelic research on a secure scientific footing,” said Professor Gerrans.

The Levels of Explanation in Psychedelic Psychiatry will run from 18 to 19 April in Melbourne. For more information or to register, visit this link.