Neuly

78. Are Psychedelics Anti-inflammatory? with Dr Charles Nichols

May, 24, 2023

Join us on this enlightening episode of the Drug Science podcast as we delve into the fascinating world of serotonergic pathways and their potential applications in treating psychiatric disorders and combating inflammation. Our special guest, Charles Nichols, a distinguished professor of...

LSD Psychedelics

Charles Nichols

Join us on this enlightening episode of the Drug Science podcast as we delve into the fascinating world of serotonergic pathways and their potential applications in treating psychiatric disorders and combating inflammation. Our special guest, Charles Nichols, a distinguished professor of pharmacology at LSU New Orleans, shares his groundbreaking research on the psychedelic 5-HT2A serotonin receptor.

During our conversation, we explore the intricate relationship between the 5-HT2A receptor and its role in both anti-inflammation and the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Charles Nichols guides us through the mechanisms behind these processes, shedding light on how psychedelics like LSD can play a crucial role in modulating the 5-HT2A receptor.

Drawing from his innovative studies, Charles Nichols reveals a surprising avenue of research involving the administration of LSD to depressed fruit flies. We uncover the intriguing results of these experiments and discuss the implications they hold for understanding the neural mechanisms underlying depression and potential treatments.

As we venture further into our conversation, we explore the broader implications of Charles Nichols' work, touching on the potential of psychedelics in revolutionizing mental health treatments and redefining our understanding of brain function. We examine the challenges and prospects of translating this research into practical therapies for individuals suffering from psychiatric disorders.

Tune in to this thought-provoking episode of the Drug Science podcast to discover the cutting-edge advancements in psychedelic research, and gain a deeper appreciation for the therapeutic potential of serotonergic pathways in treating mental health disorders and combating inflammation.

British Association for Psychopharmacology

Serotonin 5-HT2a receptor

Functional selectivity

Porsolt forced swimming test

2,5-Dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI)

★ Support this podcast ★

Listen Now

77. Is Depression Evolutionary? with Dr Charles Raison

May, 10, 2023

Is depression evolutionary? Is inflammation good or bad? Can sleep be bad for you? Tune in to find out. Depression is a complex and debilitating mental health disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite the prevalence of depression, its causes and origins are still not entirely...

Psilocybin Psychedelics

76. What is Decriminalisation? with Kassandra Frederique

Apr, 26, 2023

Are you curious about the impact of drug policies on marginalized communities? Then tune in to this week's episode of our podcast! Our guest, Kassandra Frederique, the Executive Director of the Drug Policy Alliance, joins Dr. Hannah Thurgur to discuss the impact of drug policies on Black, Latino,...

Cannabis

T21 - Medical Cannabis bonus episode

Apr, 20, 2023

T21 (formerly Project Twenty21) is a pioneering medical cannabis registry launched in the United Kingdom in 2019. It aims to create the UK's largest body of evidence for the effectiveness and tolerability of medical cannabis in treating a range of conditions. T21 focuses on patients with conditions...

Cannabis

T21 (formerly Project Twenty21) is a pioneering medical cannabis registry launched in the United Kingdom in 2019. It aims to create the UK's largest body of evidence for the effectiveness and tolerability of medical cannabis in treating a range of conditions.

T21 focuses on patients with conditions that can be treated with medical cannabis such as chronic pain, anxiety conditions, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Tourette's syndrome, and substance use disorder. A list of conditions that qualify for medical cannabis treatment can be found here. The registry provides patients with access to discounted medical cannabis from licensed producers and clinicians who have undergone training in the use of medical cannabis while collecting data to strengthen the evidence base The project is seen as a significant step forward in promoting research into the potential therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis, and in improving patient access to this treatment option in the UK.

In this very special episode of the Drug Science Podcast, we will be joined by three members of the Drug Science team:

David Badcock – Chief Executive Officer of Drug Science

Prof Michael Lynskey – Chief Research Officer

Alkyoni Athanasiou-Fragkouli – Research Officer for T21

*Please note that in this episode we make reference to a medical cannabis legal document that will be provided in the shownotes, this document is VERY close to being finished but it needs a few last-minute reviews to ensure that all of the information is 100% accurate, we appreciate your patience.

Meet the presenters!

Find out more about T21

David Nutt >< David Badcock Hepatitis C project

T21 latest data & data nuggets

T21 publications:

· Medication sparing after medical cannabis initiation: A case study of a chronic pain patient in Project Twenty21

· Developing a real-world evidence base for prescribed cannabis in the United Kingdom: preliminary findings from Project Twenty21

· Characteristics of People Seeking Prescribed Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Chronic Pain: Evidence From Project Twenty 21

· The value of real world evidence: The case of medical cannabis

· Preliminary findings from project Twenty21 Australia: An observational study of patients prescribed medicinal Cannabis for chronic pain, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder and multiple sclerosis

★ Support this podcast ★

Listen Now

75. DMT for Depression with Dr Graham Campbell

Apr, 12, 2023

Are you curious about the potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy? Tune in to this week's episode of our podcast, where we have a fascinating conversation with Dr. Graham Campbell, a renowned consultant psychiatrist and researcher in the field. Drawing from his extensive...

Psilocybin DMT

74. Welcome to Season 4 with Dr Thurgur and Prof Neill

Mar, 29, 2023

Welcome to season 4 of the Drug Science Podcast! In this episode, we're introducing our new hosts: Professor Jo Neill and Dr Hannah Thurgur! Jo Neill is a professor of psychopharmacology at the University of Manchester and the chair of the Medical Psychedelics Working Group of Drug Science....

Psychedelics

Drug Science LIVE - Part 2

Mar, 15, 2023

This week we present you with part 2 of the podcast recorded live at the book launch of 'Drug Science and British Drug Policy’. We’re going to hear panel discussions on the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and different approaches to drug policy with co-authors of the book. This time, professor David...

MDMA

David Nutt

Drug Science LIVE - Part 1

Mar, 01, 2023

This week we present you with a podcast recorded live at the book launch of ‚Drug Science and British drug policy’. We’re going to hear panel discussions on the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and different approaches to drug policy with co-authors of the book. In part 1 professor David Nutt will...

MDMA

David Nutt

73. Overdose Prevention Centres with Gillian Shorter and Mat Southwell

Sep, 28, 2022

Dr Gillian Shorter is currently a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast, with 17 years’ research experience on substance use and allied works. Her main research focus is supporting people who use drugs or alcohol who are not seeking formal treatment. She led the...

Dr Gillian Shorter is currently a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast, with 17 years’ research experience on substance use and allied works. Her main research focus is supporting people who use drugs or alcohol who are not seeking formal treatment. She led the evaluation of the UK’s first unsanctioned drug consumption site in Glasgow, Scotland run by Peter Krykant, and has an interest in developing models for overdose prevention centres including community engagement, evaluation, understanding, and delivery in partnerships with people who have lived or living experience of substance use.

Matt Southwell is a high-level advocate, technical advisor and drug user activist. He was one of the UK’s first generation of harm reduction workers in the late 1980s founding the pioneering and award-winning Healthy Options Team (HOT). In 1999 Mat decided to come out publicly as a drug user on a BBC documentary leading to dismissal from his position in the NHS Drug Services and the loss of his successful private consulting firm. Since this time Mat has supported drug user organisations and led different drug user networks from the local to the global level. Mat is currently Project Manager for the European Network of People who Use Drugs (EuroNPUD).

Is the UK on its way to opening first official drug injection sites? How can one influence police officials and politicians to lobby for a positive change? How effective are these solutions in preventing drug related deaths?

Tune in to listen to this highly insightful and simply important episode.

EuroNPUD

Supervised Injection Facilities

Harm reduction

coAct

Overdose Prevention Centres

Needle and syringe programmes

Reducing drug-related harms in Sandwell: the need and feasibility of an overdose prevention service

Opioid agonist therapy

Methadone

Buprenorphine

Diamorphine (Heroin-assisted treatment)

Drug Science Enhanced Harm Reduction Working Group

Illicit drugs classification in the UK

Peter Krykant

CAS Baluard Barcelona

Drug consumption rooms

★ Support this podcast ★

Listen Now

72. The Student Society Network with Libby Furminger and Ben Clayden

Sep, 14, 2022

Libby and Ben are third-year students from Swansea University and the University of York, who are deeply interested in the use of psychedelics in medicine and drug policy. At their universities, they are presidents of their respective Psychedelics in Medicine societies which raise awareness on the...

LSD Cannabis Psychedelics

71. Drugs in the Media with Mattha Busby

Aug, 31, 2022

Mattha Busby is a freelance journalist for publications including the Guardian, Observer, London Times, Vice, Jacobin and Leafly. Based in Mexico, Mattha writes about health, drugs, nutrition, human rights, blockchain, the environment, and events in Latin America. 'Should All Drugs Be Legalized?’...

Psilocybin

Mike Tyson

70. The Placebo Effect with Andrew Gold

Aug, 17, 2022

This week’s episode features Andrew Gold of the On the Edge with Andrew Gold podcast. Andrew Gold is a journalist and TV presenter who lived in 6 countries, producing documentaries on bizarre and controversial subcultures. His documentaries range from the award-winning Exorcism: The Battle for...

69. Amphetamine, Heroin and Cocaine with Prof Aldo Badiani

Aug, 03, 2022

Professor Badiani received his doctoral degree in Medicine and Surgery from Sapienza University of Rome and carried out post-doctoral research in Italy (CNR), Canada (CSBN), and USA (University of Michigan) to then return to Sapienza University Medical School as Assistant Professor in the Department...