Huberman Lab

Dr. Nolan Williams: Psychedelics & Neurostimulation for Brain Rewiring

Oct 10, 2022

Join Nolan Williams, a triple board-certified psychiatrist and director of the Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab, as he unpacks revolutionary mental health treatments. Discover how transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can reshape brain circuits affected by depression and PTSD. He also dives into psychedelics like MDMA and psilocybin, discussing their potential therapeutic effects and safety profiles. Learn about the fascinating links between brain health, mood regulation, and even the brain-heart connection, providing fresh insights for mental well-being.

02:44:46

Creator website

Episode guests

Nolan Williams

AI Summary

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Dr. Nolan Williams and his team at Stanford combine transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with other cutting-edge treatments like Ibogaine, Silasuybin, MDMA, Cannabis, and DMT to treat depression and mood disorders.

The left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) plays a crucial role in mood regulation.

Depression involves a network dysfunction between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC).

Dissociation and opioid receptors may play a role in depression treatment.

Ibogaine is a powerful psychedelic derived from the root bark of the Iboga tree in Gabon, Africa.

During a psychedelic journey, the concept of 'letting go' is seen as a key variable for relief from depression and trauma-related symptomology.

Deep dives

The Role of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in Treating Depression

Dr. Nolan Williams and his team at Stanford combine transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with other cutting-edge treatments like Ibogaine, Silasuybin, MDMA, Cannabis, and DMT to treat depression and mood disorders. While other clinics use TMS, Dr. Williams' approach stands out for its combination of multiple treatments. They also focus on modifying psychedelics to remove hallucinogenic properties while maintaining anti-depressant effects. The future of psychedelic research and clinical use looks promising, as more studies explore the neural circuitry underlying depression and positive moods.

The Role of Opioid Receptors in Depression

01:24

Depression and Cancer Without Treatment

01:21

The Importance of Deep Sleep and Effects of Sleep Deprivation

01:27

Ibogaine - “Life Review”, not recreational, longest lasting psychedelic 24+ hrs

01:36

Intro

4min

Unlocking Health Insights

6min

Understanding Depression: Challenges and Innovative Approaches to Treatment

5min

Brain-Heart Connection and Mood Regulation

23min

Cognitive Flexibility and Emotional Regulation in Mental Health

4min

Navigating Depression: TMS and CBT Interplay

10min

Navigating Depression and Dissociation

21min

Psychedelics and Mental Health: A Healing Perspective

22min

Letting Go: The Healing Power of Psilocybin

11min

10.

Exploring Ibogaine and Ayahuasca: Psychedelics in Healing

21min

11.

Cannabis, Alcohol, and Mental Health Insights

22min

12.

Exploring Neuromodulation Technologies for Mental Health Treatments

4min

13.

Innovative Stimulation Techniques for Depression

13min

14.

Exploring Depression Treatments and Podcast Engagement

3min

In this episode, my guest is Nolan Williams, M.D., a triple board-certified psychiatrist, neurologist and professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford School of Medicine. He is also the Director of the Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab. We discuss clinical applications for brain stimulation, behavioral protocols and novel drug treatments to halt and reverse mental health disorders, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We first discuss the neural circuits for self-identity and mood and stress control. We discuss Dr. Williams’ work using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to depression, trauma, PTSD, and other mood disorders. We then dive deep into the history, biology, modern use, and safety margins of the various psychedelics, including MDMA, LSD, ketamine, ibogaine, ayahuasca, and psilocybin, as well as cannabis and the use of SSRIs in both adults and children. Finally, we discuss behavioral treatments for mental health disorders, including sleep and sleep deprivation, light exposure, exercise, and training to control the brain-heart-rate pathways. Regardless of age, all those interested in mental health should benefit from the incredible breadth and depth of Dr. Williams’ knowledge and the clarity with which he conveys that information.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Dr. Nolan Williams, Brain Stimulation & Depression Treatment

(00:03:48) Sponsors: LMNT

(00:09:16) Depression, Risk Factors, Emergency Psychiatric Treatments

(00:15:11) The Brain-Heart Connection, Vagus Nerve, Prefrontal Cortex

(00:17:51) Right vs. Left Brain Hemispheres & Mood Balance, Connectome

(00:22:34) Heart Rate & Depression, Behavioral Interventions, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

(00:33:02) Prefrontal Cortex & Cognitive Control, TMS

(00:35:30) Sponsor: AG1

(00:39:00) Belief/Identity “Rules”, Re-scripting, TMS & Talk Therapy

(00:45:49) Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex, TMS & Depression Treatment

(00:48:36) Cingulate Cortex & Emotion, Dissociation & Catatonia

(00:54:27) Ketamine, the Opioid System & Depression; Psychedelic Experience or Biology?

(01:03:42) SSRIs, Serotonin & Depression; Childhood, Chemical Imbalance or Circuit?

(01:13:58) Memories & “Rule” Creation; Psilocybin & “Rule” Resolution

(01:21:00) MDMA & Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Treatment, Psilocybin & Depression Treatment

(01:24:12) Is MDMA Neurotoxic?, Drug Purity, Dopamine Surges, Post-MDMA Prolactin

(01:30:38) Psilocybin, Brain Connectivity & Depression Treatment

(01:34:53) Exposure Response Prevention: “Letting Go” & Depression Treatment

(01:41:23) Normal Spectrums for Mental Health Disorders

(01:45:35) Ibogaine & “Life Review”; PTSD, Depression & Clinical Trials

(01:57:16) Clinical Use of Psychedelics

(02:01:59) Ayahuasca, Brazilian Prisoner Study

(02:06:55) Cannabis: THC, CBD & Psychosis, Clinical Uses

(02:14:52) Personal Relative Drug Risk & Alcohol

(02:20:42) Circadian Reset for Depression, Sleep Deprivation, Light

(02:28:43) Stanford Neuromodulation Therapy (SNT) Study

(02:34:25) Space Learning Theory & TMS Stimulation

(02:45:35) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Huberman Lab Premium, Neural Network Newsletter, Social Media

Disclaimer

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.

Huberman Lab

Dr. Nolan Williams: Psychedelics & Neurostimulation for Brain Rewiring

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Role of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in Treating Depression

The Importance of the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Mood Regulation

Understanding Depression as a Network Dysfunction

The Role of Dissociation and Opioid Receptors in Depression Treatment

Ibogaine: A Potent and Non-Recreational Psychedelic

Letting Go and the Therapeutic Effects of Psychedelics

The Potential of Ayahuasca as a Sacrament and Therapeutic Agent

Exploring the Therapeutic Power of Psychedelics in Clinical Settings

The potential therapeutic effects of psychedelics

The risks and benefits of cannabis use

The efficacy of neuromodulation therapy for depression

The Role of Opioid Receptors in Depression

Depression and Cancer Without Treatment

The Importance of Deep Sleep and Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Ibogaine - “Life Review”, not recreational, longest lasting psychedelic 24+ hrs

Thank you to our sponsors

Timestamps

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts