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Reposted by Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center

Nate Heller @nate-h-heller.bsky.social · 2d

🧠 New Psychedelic Article in Schizophrenia Bulletin!

We argue that visual hallucinations in psychedelics and Lewy body disease may share common mechanisms ⇒ visual degradation & cortical excitation.

academic.oup.com/schizophreni...

Excited to see this spark discussion!
#Neuroscience #Psychedelics

Visual Hallucinations in Serotonergic Psychedelics and Lewy Body Diseases

AbstractBackground and Hypothesis. Visual hallucinations (VH) are a core symptom of both Lewy body diseases (LBDs; eg, Parkinson’s disease and dementia wit

academic.oup.com

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 2d

How do psychedelics help treat depression, anxiety, and addiction? In this #ECNP2025 preview, Drs. Linda Simmler and Frederick Barrett discuss psychedelic-induced plasticity with host Friederike Holze.
📅 See them live Oct 14, 2025, 8:40–10:00
🎧 www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FT2...

Psychedelics and plasticity: from synapses to cognition | 38th ECNP Congress preview

YouTube video by European College of Neuropsychopharmacology

www.youtube.com

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 9d

Dr. Brandon Weiss recently met with congressional staff, NIH, and federal regulators to discuss Veteran health and the importance of rigorous research in guiding safe, responsible psychedelic therapies.

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 12d

🚨 ATTN SfN attendees: Join our pre-SfN event “The Trip between Bedside and Bench: Advancing Cross-Species Translation in Psychedelic Neuroscience.”

Limited spots—register now! 👉 hopkinspsychedelic.org/sfn2025

SFN — Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research

hopkinspsychedelic.org

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 13d

10/ Led by former @hopkinsmedicine.bsky.social Megan Hosein and Zach Cordner, cochairs @fredbarrettphd.bsky.social and Trisha Suppes, CPCR’s Dr. Matthew Reid, @existwell.bsky.social, and Sarah Walser, Stu Charney, UT Austin’s D. Greg Fonzo, and Utah’s Dr. Ben Lewis

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 13d

9/ The bottom line: Psilocybin could transform psychiatry. But for now, it should be seen as a second- or third-line option and used with great care until evidence catches up.

Optimism is warranted—but caution is essential.

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 13d

8/ So what’s the way forward?

The Task Group calls for:

• Big, multi-site research collaborations
• More diverse study populations
• Public funding (not just philanthropy or venture capital)
• Standard training + monitoring systems
• Early engagement with regulators & insurers

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 13d

7/ Ethics can’t be ignored either. Patients are deeply vulnerable under psilocybin. Boundaries have been crossed in clinical trials. Risks of exploitation—sexual, ideological, or cultural—are real.

And the field must grapple with equity and respect for Indigenous traditions.

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 13d

6/ Then there’s training. Right now, no national standards exist. Many “training programs” are unregulated, retreat-style, and data-free.

The consensus calls for rigorous curricula, certification, and oversight—like any other medical specialty.

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 13d

5/ Even if safe, scaling is another challenge. Current therapy models are long, expensive (~$6.6k per course), and hard to imagine in routine practice without major redesign.

Insurance and reimbursement questions loom large.

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 13d

4/ Safety signals are real:

• Suicidal thoughts/self-harm events have occurred in trials
• Risks for mania in bipolar disorder remain unknown
• Drug interactions (e.g., SSRIs, lithium) could blunt or even worsen effects
• Long-term cardiac and perceptual risks aren’t well studied

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 13d

3/ But the hype, media buzz, and commercial momentum are outpacing the science.

We don’t yet have clear answers on optimal (minimal necessary) dose, safety in the long run, or how it works across diverse communities.

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 13d

2/ Psilocybin has shown striking results in early trials for depression, addiction, and more. Some patients go into remission after only a few sessions.

Phase III trials are underway, and many are imagining a future where psilocybin is part of everyday psychiatry.

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 13d

1/ New consensus statement just dropped on the potential for psilocybin in clinical care, from the Task Group on Psychedelics and Related Compounds of the US National Network of Depression Centers

The message? Lots of promise, but real risks if we rush. 🧵

authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S...

ScienceDirect.com | Science, health and medical journals, full text articles and books.

authors.elsevier.com

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 14d

🌿 Can psychedelics help with long-COVID & Lyme?
Join Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu (JHU) + an expert panel as they share new research & lived experiences. Free online event!
🔗https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/vg5di-PqS6Ko-GOFOL4Ljg
#CPCR #PsychedelicResearch #LongCOVID #LymeDisease

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Reposted by Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center

Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · Sep 5

Have you used psychedelics and cannabis on separate occasions? Take our survey! tinyurl.com/psyches-cann...
Your responses help advance research on their effects, risks, and benefits.

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 21d

If you have had a challenging psychedelic experience and seek professional care, schedule an appointment at www.hopkinsmedicine.org/personalized... or email Dr. Bekhrad at [email protected]

Personalized Psychiatry

With the Johns Hopkins Personalized Psychiatry offers tailored, patient-centered care adults and children. This provides patients with more one-on-one access to their psychiatric care team.

www.hopkinsmedicine.org

Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 21d

Microdose interview with Dr. Azin Bekhrad, who runs the Johns Hopkins Clinic for Post-Psychedelic Difficulties themicrodose.substack.com/p/treating-p... (

Treating patients with challenging psychedelics experiences: 5 Questions for psychiatrist Azin Bekhrad

Azin Bekhrad trained as a medical doctor at Wayne State University in Detroit, then completed a year of residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern, then a psychiatry fellowship at Johns Ho...

themicrodose.substack.com

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 22d

Our research center is seeking a casual therapist to support cutting-edge studies on the therapeutic effects of psychedelics. Join a team at the forefront of mental health research. Apply below 👇
jobs.jhu.edu/job/Baltimor...

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 23d

CPCR Faculty David Yaden (@existwell) visited the Uehiro Oxford Institute at Oxford University, advancing work on well-being and the ethics of psychedelics.

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 28d

Missed our summer newsletter?
Catch up on the latest updates from the CPCR and subscribe to stay in the loop:
🔗 hopkinspsychedelic.org/newsletters

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · 29d

Six years ago, our psychedelic center was founded on 20+ years of pioneering research. Today, we’re one of the world’s largest academic hubs in the field—driving innovation, clinical research, and collaboration. Here’s to six years of impact, and many more ahead!

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · Sep 8

New study from Dr. Brandon Weiss (CPCR) finds UK public attitudes toward psychedelic-assisted therapy are mostly neutral with a slight negative tilt. Published in the International Journal of Drug Policy

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · Sep 5

Have you used psychedelics and cannabis on separate occasions? Take our survey! tinyurl.com/psyches-cann...
Your responses help advance research on their effects, risks, and benefits.

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Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research Center @jhpsychedelics.bsky.social · Sep 4

🚨 Research Spotlight 🚨
On Aug 20, Assistant Professor Dr. Brandon Weiss presented to SAMHSA on psychedelic therapeutic models, including his team’s upcoming MDMA + psilocybin trial for PTSD in Veterans.

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