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What\u2019s it like to give people hallucinogenic drugs and study what happens? How might these drugs be used for therapy? And what causes people to take drugs in the first place? 

That\u2019s what we asked Harriet de Wit, who runs the University of Chicago\u2019s Human Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory, where she administers drugs like LSD, ecstacy and psilocybin to volunteers in an effort to learn more about the human nervous system. 

\u201cThe whole world of researchers is feeling very cautious,\u201d de Wit tells us, \u201ccautiously optimistic \u2014 that if the drugs are used under controlled circumstances, they might have some potential benefits.\u201d

Let\u2019s get funky.