Since the Controlled Substance Act of 1970, psychedelic substances, such as psilocybin—the psychoactive compound found in “magic mushrooms”—have been federally illegal in the United States, virtually blacklisting their potential use in clinical settings. Decades of restricted access halted research into the substances until 2006 when a study on psilocybin was published, reopening the conversation on their prospective benefits.
On Sept. 5, former NMU student Jacob S. Aday, Ph.D., delivered a lecture on the state of psychedelic research. Currently an Assistant Professor at the Michigan Psychedelic Center (M-PsyC), Aday has spent ample time studying the history of psychedelic drugs and the way they interact with the human brain.
As explained in his lecture, psychedelics are 5-HT2A (serotonin receptor) stimulants that increase the potential for enhanced neuroplasticity. What does this mean? It means that Schedule I drugs like LSD, psilocybin and DMT have the potential to restructure the brain for the better.
Second-year psychology graduate student and PSI CHI President Andrew Donar introduced Aday at the lecture and gave his thoughts on the stigmatization of psilocybin.
“I think a lot of it is the cultural baggage that psilocybin has in being tied to LSD,” Donar said. “It has this societal image that is difficult to get away from.”
Despite that baggage, researchers like Aday continue to advocate for psychedelic science, aware of the implications their findings may have on the future of mental health treatment.
After the lecture, Psychological Science Department Head Adam Prus acknowledged the insufficiency of current medications designed to treat mental health, and the inverse findings with psychedelics.
“There [are] people that are suffering and need help,” Prus said. “As long as the research continues to show the potential for treatment, then there has to be some regulatory change eventually.”
One area where psychedelic therapy has shown promising results is in the regulated use of MDMA. Administered almost exclusively among veterans battling PTSD, MDMA, or “molly,” is a psychedelic-like stimulant that alters perception, much like psilocybin.
During the Phase I study performed in 2011, participants who received the MDMA treatment recorded an 83% clinical response to the drug compared to 25% among those given a placebo. Ten years later in the first Phase III study, two-thirds of those in the MDMA group were in remission.
While psychedelic application in clinical therapy may still be in its early stages, the potential advantages are undeniable. This does not mean, however, that psilocybin, LSD, DMT or MDMA are “miracle drugs.” Like any substance, they can be misused and abused. It is important to understand the benefits, risks and potentialities of psychedelics and their uses recreationally and therapeutically.
If you were unable to attend Aday’s lecture, the Department of Psychological Science is hosting Susan Schneider, Ph.D. from Western Michigan University on Sept. 26 as she discusses “Psychology for Climate Change.”
