Mdedge Psychcast

Frederick S. Barrett, PhD, is affiliated with the Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research (@JHPsychedelics) at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (@Hopkins Medicine). Dr. Barrett spoke with Nick Andrews (@Nick_Andrews_) at @TEDMED 2020, about the research that has been conducted by the Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research on the impact of psychedelics, or hallucinogens, on psychiatric disorders. He has no disclosures. Take-home points Dr. Barrett transitioned into neuroscience research through his interest in the effect of music on human emotions and the brain. Until 1970, psychedelics such as psilocybin were widely used in clinical research, with more than 1,000 academic papers published about their use. For example, psychedelics were used as a model for schizophrenia and helped identify the role of serotonin in psychosis. They were also studied to treat addiction and as a treatment for existential anxiety in cancer. In 1970, psychedelics were deemed illegal by the Controlled Sub