Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression - Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris

Published: July 29, 2018, 5:07 p.m.

Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris speaks about the use of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression.  Here are some key points from this interview:

- Psilocybin, a psychedelic, is a 5-HT2A agonist.  Stimulation of the 5-HT2A receptor promotes neural plasticity

-A potential mechanism of action of psilocybin in treatment-resistant depression involves “brain resetting”

- Psilocybin has a good safety profile. However, patients may experience challenging psychological experiences that may turn out to be frightening for some people

- Administration of psychedelics needs to be done in a controlled environment with psychological support