Nature: Hallucinogenic drugs in Modern Medicine and Mental Health

Nature editor Noah Gray asked four neuroscience bloggers to write an opinion piece for the September issue of Nature Reviews Neuroscience, called "The neurobiology of psychedelic drugs: implications for the treatment of mood disorders." Here are the results:

Distorted perceptions and an altered state of mind: two reasons why psychedelics have always attracted not only fascination, but also controversy for decades. A recent Perspective in Nature Reviews Neuroscience entitled "The neurobiology of psychedelic drugs: implications for the treatment of mood disorders", by Franz Vollenweider & Michael Kometer explores why there is a renewed interest in the clinical potential of psychedelics for treating mental disorders, after nearly a 40 year gap in clinical experimentation. Anticipating a significant interest in this topic, Nature Publishing Group has made this manuscript freely accessible for 1 month. In addition, we offer a four-part series of essays by some of the best neuroscience bloggers to help you explore the literature and discuss the most important aspects:
1.) The secret history of psychedelic psychiatry by Moheb Costandi
2.) Serotonin, Psychedelics and Depression by Neuroskeptic
3.) Ketamine for Depression: Yea or Neigh? by The Neurocritic
4.) Visions of a psychedelic future by Vaughan Bell

[Thanks Mo!]

» more at: blogs.nature.com

Posted By jamesk at 2010-08-30 13:41:23 permalink | comments

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TardNarc : 2010-09-03 14:10:47

dt:

there aren't as many phenomenological differences between lsd-like psychedelics and the psychostimulants as you might think

dt. : 2010-09-01 17:35:23

In the 2006 John's Hopkins psilocybin study, they used methylphenidate (Ritalin) as the control drug, which seems to me to be a sensible drug to use. People who have never used psychedelics, and even some who have, probably could be dosed with Ritalin and not be sure whether they were dosed with a psychedelic. People tend to be less perspicacious than you would think.

Nowhere Girl. : 2010-08-31 14:23:57

I've taken a look at the blog entries and they disappointed me - so conservative (but maybe it's a good sign that one can already write about psychedelics without any sensationalist or even rebellious tone?), so "establishmental" (just too much trust in psychiatry). And the first author is complaining that psychedelic research wasn't methodologically well designed because double-blind, randomized studies "are the standard". Oh yes, please tell me how is a double-blind psychedelic study possible...

ST1R. : 2010-08-30 23:58:46

It says "Nature Publishing Group has made this manuscript freely accessible for 1 month.". Where can I find it online?

slay : 2010-08-30 22:13:53

good linkage

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