Psychopharmacology and Psychiatry Updates Psychedelics and Brain Networks
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Sep 23, 2025 Franklin King, a director at the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics and a Harvard Medical School faculty member, dives deep into the impact of psychedelics on the brain. He discusses how substances like psilocybin disrupt the default mode network, fostering neuroplasticity and leading to therapeutic breakthroughs. The conversation also touches on the correlation between mystical experiences and treatment outcomes, as well as the significance of the claustrum and 5-HT2A receptors in these processes.
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Clinical Case Sparks The Discussion
- A 45-year-old executive with treatment-resistant depression asks about psilocybin therapy after multiple failed medications.
- This case frames the episode's clinical question about psychedelic options for refractory depression.
Psychedelics Create Neuroplastic Windows
- Psychedelics not only alter consciousness but also promote cellular neuroplasticity.
- They disrupt the default mode network, which is active during self-directed thought and rumination.
Mystical Experience Predicts Therapeutic Gains
- The intensity of mystical experiences on the MEQ correlates with clinical benefit across trials.
- Higher MEQ scores predict larger reductions in craving, anxiety, and depression after psilocybin.