Psychedelics

Interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, having lain relatively dormant in the face of stigma and heavy regulations for decades, has reignited in the last ten years. In this infographic, we review five psychedelics, detailing their structure, mechanism of action and their potential clinical applications.

Researchers find potentially non-hallucinatory psychedelic compounds by examining crystal structures.

Interest in the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, having lain relatively dormant in the face of stigma and heavy regulations for decades, has reignited in the last ten years. Landmark studies showing these compounds’ effectiveness in treating some mood disorders have kickstarted a wave of clinical research, with well over 100 separate trials now investigating psychedelics’ health applications.

Fred Barrett is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. In this interview, we discuss his work with the active component of magic mushrooms, psilocybin. Fred explains how this compound affects the brain, its potential to combat visceral pain, and its links to so-called mystical experiences.