There is substantial contemporary interest in psychedelic agents as medicines for maladies of the mind. This follows research in the 1950s and 1960s exploring the use of LSD and other psychedelics to treat a range of psychiatric illnesses as well as addictions. This research was shut down after prohibition of these drugs, however the last decade has seen a major renewal of interest in the therapeutic use of psychedelics and related drugs in psychiatry.
Psilocybin (found in 'magic mushrooms') has been used effectively for amelioration of distress in people with depression/anxiety in the context of potentially life-ending cancers, as well as for treatment-resistant depression and also addictions. MDMA ('ecstasy') has shown efficacy for severe post-traumatic stress disorder, with enduring benefit. Other psychedelics, both plant-derived (e.g., ayahuasca) and synthetically produced (e.g., LSD) are also being investigated for their potential therapeutic value.
These agents not only herald a new neurobiology but also allow an integration of psychotherapy with biological compounds that is truly novel and that challenges established psychiatric practice. Furthermore, the action of these agents on the brain allows an exploration of how the brain works to 'open up' to psychotherapeutic healing.
Published as part of the
Oxford Psychiatry Library series, the book provides an overview of this hugely exciting field, covering the history of psychedelics, clinical aspects, risks and side effects, precautions and processes.
David Nutt, Edmond J. Safra Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology and Head of the Centre for Psychedelic Research, Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, UK, David Castle, Scientific Director, Centre for Complex Interventions, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health; and Professor, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Toronto, Canada
David Nutt is a psychiatrist and the Edmond J. Safra Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology in Imperial College London. He is currently Founding Chair of the charity DrugScience.org.uk and has been president of the European Brain Council, the BAP, BNA, and ECNP. David has published 35 books and over 1000 research papers that define his many landmark contributions to psychopharmacology including GABA and noradrenaline receptor function in anxiety disorders, serotonin function in depression, endorphin and dopamine function in addiction and the neuroscience and clinical utility of psychedelics. Some of this has been made into films e.g. https: //www.imdb.com/title/tt8661404 on Netflix and https: //www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000w7bq on the BBC and a play https: //www.goodreads.com/book/show/43887749-all-you-need-is-lsd . He broadcasts widely to the general public on pharmacology and psychiatric matters, has over 60k followers on twitter and has his own very popular podcast...
David Castle is Inaugural Scientific Director of the Centre for Complex Interventions (CCI) at the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada; and Professor, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Toronto. He has wide clinical and research interests, encompassing schizophrenia and related disorders, bipolar disorder, OCD spectrum disorders and disorders of body image. He has a longstanding interest in the impact of licit and illicit substances on the brain and body, and is actively engaged in a series of trials investigating psychedelics as psychiatric medicines. He has published widely and is a frequent speaker at scientific meetings.
