The Huberman Lab Podcast discusses neuroscience: how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health. We also discuss existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works. Dr. Andrew Huberman is a tenured Professor of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. His laboratory studies neural regeneration, neuroplasticity, and brain states such as stress, focus, fear, and optimal performance. For more than 20 years, Dr. Huberman has consistently published original research findings and review articles in top-level peer-reviewed journals, including Nature, Science, Cell, Neuron, and Current Biology. He is a regular member of several National Institutes of Health review panels and a Fellow of the McKnight Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts. Dr. Huberman regularly consults for technology development companies, professional athletic organizations, and various units of U.S. and Canadian Special Operations.
Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris: The Science of Psychedelics for Mental Health
In this episode, my guest is Robin Carhart-Harris, PhD, distinguished professor of neurology and psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco. He is one of leading researchers in the study of how psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD and DMT can change the human brain and in doing so, be used to successfully treat various mental health challenges such as major depression, anorexia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and addiction. He explains how psilocybin induces sustained changes in adaptive brain wiring and cognition. We discuss the key components of safe and effective psychedelic journeys, the role of hallucinations, the use of eye-masks to encourage people to “go internal,” and music, as well as what effective therapist support consists of before, during and after the session (also known as integration). We discuss micodosing vs. macrodosing and how researchers control for placebo effects in psychedelic research. We also discuss the current legal landscape around psychedelic therapies. Psychedelic therapies are fast emerging as powerful and soon-to-be mainstream treatments for medical health disorders, but they are not without their risks. As such, this episode ought to be of use to anyone interested in brain plasticity, mental health, psychology or neuroscience.
For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.
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The Brain Body Contract
Timestamps
(00:00:00) Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris
(00:02:12) Sponsors: Eight Sleep, Levels, HVMN
(00:05:41) The Brain-Body Contract
(00:06:31) Origin of the Word: “Psychedelics”; Pharmacology
(00:12:05) Psychedelics & Revealing the Unconscious Mind, Psychotherapy
(00:17:32) Microdosing
(00:26:08) Psilocybin vs. Magic Mushroom Doses
(00:28:28) “Psychedelic-Therapy”, Music
(00:35:12) Sponsor: AG1 (Athletic Greens)
(00:36:26) Psychedelic Journey: “Trust, Let Go, Be Open”
(00:43:01) Negative Emotions, Fear & Psychedelics
(00:46:21) Global Functional Connectivity, Serotonin 2A Receptor; Subjective Experiences
(00:52:33) Pharmacology: Therapeutics without Psychedelic Effects; SSRIs
(00:58:45) Psilocybin & Depression; Long-Term Effects: Connectivity & Neuroplasticity
(01:09:14) Sponsor: LMNT
(01:10:26) Psilocybin Therapy & Anorexia
(01:12:56) Integration Phase & Psychedelic-Therapy; Meditation
(01:19:50) First-Time Psychedelic Use, “Entropic Brain Effect”, Neuroplasticity, Cognition
(01:30:16) Fibromyalgia & Psychedelic Treatment; MDMA Therapy & “Inner Healer”
(01:38:55) Placebo Response & Psychedelic Therapy
(01:41:39) LSD & Psychedelic-Therapy, Micro-Dose
(01:48:19) Combination Psilocybin-MDMA Therapy
(01:56:06) DMT “Rocketship” & Serotonin 2A Receptors; Ibogaine
(02:01:04) “Ego Dissolution”, Cocaine vs. Psychedelics; Relapses
(02:12:26) Psychedelics & Legal Landscape; Decriminalization
(02:17:54) MDMA, Trauma & Clinical Trials; Future Regulatory (FDA) Approval?
(02:23:25) Psilocybin & Current Clinical Trials
(02:28:41) Mental Health & Psychedelic Treatment, Safeguards, Paradigm Shift
(02:34:39) Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter
Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac