Download "Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris: The Science of Psychedelics for Mental Health | Huberman Lab Podcast"

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. Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman Eight Sleep: https://www.eightsleep.com/eu/huberman/ Levels: https://join.levelshealth.com/huberman2/?partner=HUBERMAN HVMN: https://hvmn.com/huberman LMNT: https://partners.drinklmnt.com/free-gift-with-purchase?rfsn=6327528.ecaabe8&rfsn_cn=EXCLUSIVE+GIFT+FOR+THE+HUBERMAN+LAB+COMMUNITY Momentous: https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman The Brain Body Contract https://www.hubermanlab.com/events Huberman Lab Social & Website Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/unsupportedbrowser Twitter: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unsupportedbrowser LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com/ Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris Academic Profile: https://profiles.ucsf.edu/robin.carhart-harris Publications: https://profiles.ucsf.edu/robin.carhart-harris#toc-id3 Support USCF Psychedelic Research Fund: https://makeagift.ucsf.edu/site/SPageServer?pagename=A1_API_GeneralGivingForm&Other=Psychedelic%20Research%20Fund%20zzz%207031398-SFFDN UCSF Clinical Trials Enrollment: https://clinicaltrials.ucsf.edu/psychedelic-experiences Twitter: https://twitter.com/RCarhartHarris TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZIaTaNR3gk Articles Self-blinding citizen science to explore psychedelic microdosing: https://elifesciences.org/articles/62878 Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa2032994 Pivotal mental states: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0269881120959637 Increased global integration in the brain after psilocybin therapy for depression: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-01744-z?error=cookies_not_supported&code=2160ccf5-fdab-4abf-9049-5cd56a2459c4 Structure-based discovery of nonhallucinogenic psychedelic analogs: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abl8615 Self-Medication for Chronic Pain Using Classic Psychedelics: A Qualitative Investigation to Inform Future Research: https://bit.ly/3Wr1q8C MDMA-assisted therapy for severe PTSD: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-021-01336-3?error=cookies_not_supported&code=026dd860-b5d3-4bfe-8ce9-0a037b780aeb 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 - https://www.blabacphoto.com/ Disclaimer: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer