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Labyrint TV special about therapy with psychedelics

December 6, 2021 / Publications / By

psionderzoek

Next week on Wetenschap24 Labyrint TV reports on groundbreaking research into the use of psychedelics for the treatment of psychological disorders.

The episode was filmed at the Interdisciplinary Conference on Psychedelic Research 2012 and takes you from the first scientific research into psychedelics in the ’50s, the recreational use and the prohibition of these substances, to the recent research into psychedelics as potential tools for psychotherapy. Amongst others, the British psychopharmacologists Robin Carhart–Harris and Matthew Johnson, both speakers at ICPR 2012, will appear in this episode. They will speak about their research into the therapeutic potential of psilocybin.

Next Wednesday, December 19th, 8:50pm at Nederland 2.

More information on the Labyrint TV website.

Universiteitsblad Folia en psychedelisch onderzoek

November 24, 2012 / Uncategorized / By

folia_trippen

Universiteitsblad Folia staat dit nummer in het teken van onderzoek naar psychedelica. De cover is helemaal gewijd aan het artikel ‘Trippen op recept’. Bezoekers van het Interdisciplinary Conference on Psychedelic Research zullen de experts die aan het woord komen zeker herkennen. Zo vertelt Ben Sessa over zijn ervaring in een fMRI scanner tijdens een onderzoek naar de effecten van psilocybine in het brein. Robert Carhart-Harris, onderzoeker aan Imperial College Londen, vertelt over de eerste bevindingen van dit onderzoek. Ook Matthew Johnson, psychofarmacoloog aan de Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in de Verenigde Staten komt aan het woord. Hij vertelt over zijn onderzoek naar het gebruik van psilocybine bij tabaksverslaafden.

Je kunt de Folia vinden op allerlei locaties van de Universiteit van Amsterdam en de Hogeschool van Amsterdam. Maar je kan het ook digitaal op de Folia website vinden.

Article in university magazine Folia about psychedelic research

December 6, 2021 / Publications / By

folia_trippen

University magazine Folia devoted an article to psychedelic research. The cover is entirely dedicated to the article ‘Trippen op recept’ (Tripping on prescription). Visitors of the Interdisciplinary Conference on Psychedelic Research will recognize the interviewed experts. Ben Sessa talks about his experience in an fMRI scanner when he participated in a study into the effects of psilocybin on the brain. Robin Carhart-Harris, a researchers at Imperial College London, talks about initial findings of this study. Matthew Johnson, psychopharmacologist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (United States) is interviewed as well. He talks about his research into the use of psilocybin in the treatment of tobacco addiction.

You can find the Folia magazine at various locations at the University of Amsterdam. You can also find it digitally on the Folia website.

Durability of improvement in posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and absence of harmful effects or drug dependency after 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy: a prospective long-term follow-up study

November 20, 2012 / Anxiety Disorders / PTSD, MDMA, Papers, Psychology, Publications / By / , , , , , ,

Abstract

We report follow-up data evaluating the long-term outcomes for the first completed trial of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy for chronic, treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Mithoefer et al., 2011). All of the 19 subjects who received MDMA-assisted treatment in the original trial participated in the long-term follow-up (LTFU), with 16 out of 19 completing all of the long-term outcome measures, which were administered from 17 to 74 months after the original study’s final MDMA session (mean = 45.4; SD = 17.3). Our primary outcome measure used was the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). Secondary outcome measures were the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Neuroticism Extroversion Oppenness Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO PI-R) Personality Inventory. We also collected a long-term follow-up questionnaire. Results for the 16 CAPS completers showed there were no statistical differences between mean CAPS score at LTFU (mean = 23.7; SD = 22.8) (t_matched = 0.1; df = 15, p = 0.91) and the mean CAPS score previously obtained at Study Exit (mean = 24.6, SD = 18.6). On average, subjects maintained statistically and clinically-significant gains in symptom relief, although two of these subjects did relapse. It was promising that we found the majority of these subjects with previously severe PTSD who were unresponsive to existing treatments had symptomatic relief provided by MDMA-assisted psychotherapy that persisted over time, with no subjects reporting harm from participation in the study.

Mithoefer, M.C., Wagner, M. T., Mithoefer, A. T., Jerome, L., Martin, S. F., Yazar-Klosinski, B., … Doblin, R. (2012). Durability of improvement in posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and absence of harmful effects or drug dependency after 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy: a prospective long-term follow-up study. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 27(1), 1-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269881112456611
Link to full text

A randomized, controlled pilot study of MDMA (± 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine)-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of resistant, chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

October 31, 2012 / Anxiety Disorders / PTSD, MDMA, Papers, Psychology, Publications / By / , , ,

Abstract

Psychiatrists and psychotherapists in the US (1970s to 1985) and Switzerland (1988-1993) used MDMA legally as a prescription drug, to enhance the effectiveness of psychotherapy. Early reports suggest that it is useful in treating trauma-related disorders. Recently, the first completed pilot study of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD yielded encouraging results. Designed to test the safety and efficacy of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy in patients with treatment-resistant PTSD; our randomized, double-blind, active-placebo controlled trial enrolled 12 patients for treatment with either low-dose (25 mg, plus 12.5 mg supplemental dose) or full-dose MDMA (125 mg, plus 62.5 mg supplemental dose). MDMA was administered during three experimental sessions, interspersed with weekly non-drug-based psychotherapy sessions. Outcome measures used were the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS). Patients were assessed at baseline, three weeks after the second and third MDMA session (end of treatment), and at the 2-month and 1-year follow-ups. We found that MDMA-assisted psychotherapy can be safely administered in a clinical setting. No drug-related serious adverse events occurred. We did not see statistically significant reductions in CAPS scores (p = 0.066), although there was clinically and statistically significant self-reported (PDS) improvement (p = 0.014). CAPS scores improved further at the 1-year follow-up. In addition, three MDMA sessions were more effective than two (p = 0.016).

Oehen, P., Traber, R., Widmer, V., & Schnyder, U. (2012) A randomized, controlled pilot study of MDMA (± 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine)-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of resistant, chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Journal of Psychopharmacology, 27(1), 40-52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269881112464827
Link to full text

Veel aandacht voor uitverkocht ICPR 2012

October 14, 2012 / Uncategorized / By

icpr_church

Op 6 en 7 oktober vond OPEN’s tweede grote internationale congres plaats in Amsterdam: de Interdisciplinary Conference on Psychedelic Research. In de uitverkochte Mozes en Aäronkerk kwamen meer dan 400 onderzoekers, studenten, therapeuten en wetenschappers bijeen om te luisteren naar lezingen, variërend van fMRI-onderzoek naar psilocybine, filosofische discussies over de rol van psychedelische ervaringen tot een debat over de plaats en het nut van MDMA in psychotherapie.

Onderzoek naar psychedelica wordt langzaam ook in Nederland serieus genomen. VPRO’s Labyrint heeft opnames gemaakt voor een uitzending gewijd aan psychedelisch onderzoek. Lees ook de artikelen in het wetenschapskatern van de Volkskrant (6 okt. ’12) en het Parool (13 okt. ’12). Foto’s van het congres kunnen hier worden gevonden en video’s worden momenteel gemonteerd en zullen spoedig op de website verschijnen.

ICPR 2012 draws attention to psychedelic research

December 6, 2021 / Publications / By

icpr_church

On October 6 & 7 OPEN’s second international conference took place in Amsterdam: the Interdisciplinary Conference on Psychedelic Research. In a sold out Mozeskerk over 400 researchers, students, therapists and scholars gathered to listen and discuss the latest psychedelic research. From brain imaging studies on psilocybin, philosophical discussions on the meaning of altered states of consciousness to a debate on the place of MDMA in psychotherapy, ICPR set the standard for future events.

Research into psychedelics is slowly being taken seriously in the Netherlands. Dutch science program Labyrint recorded interviews and shot the conference for an episode on psychedelic research. Articles on the conference in Dutch national newspapers Volkskrant (6 Oct. ’12) and Parool (13 Oct. ’12) can be clicked and read here (only in Dutch). Photos of the conference can be found here and videos of the conference are being edited and will be put on our website soon.

Functional Connectivity Measures After Psilocybin Inform a Novel Hypothesis of Early Psychosis

October 8, 2012 / Mushrooms / Psilocybin, Neuroscience, Papers, Psychology, Psychotic Disorders, Publications / By / , , , , , ,

Abstract

Psilocybin is a classic psychedelic and a candidate drug model of psychosis. This study measured the effects of psilocybin on resting-state network and thalamocortical functional connectivity (FC) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Fifteen healthy volunteers received intravenous infusions of psilocybin and placebo in 2 task-free resting-state scans. Primary analyses focused on changes in FC between the default-mode- (DMN) and task-positive network (TPN). Spontaneous activity in the DMN is orthogonal to spontaneous activity in the TPN, and it is well known that these networks support very differ -ent functions (ie, the DMN supports introspection, whereas the TPN supports externally focused attention). Here, inde -pendent components and seed-based FC analyses revealed increased DMN-TPN FC and so decreased DMN-TPN orthogonality after psilocybin. Increased DMN-TPN FC has been found in psychosis and meditatory states, which share some phenomenological similarities with the psy -chedelic state. Increased DMN-TPN FC has also been observed in sedation, as has decreased thalamocortical FC, but here we found preserved thalamocortical FC after psi -locybin. Thus, we propose that thalamocortical FC may be related to arousal, whereas DMN-TPN FC is related to the separateness of internally and externally focused states. We suggest that this orthogonality is compromised in early psychosis, explaining similarities between its phenomenol -ogy and that of the psychedelic state and supporting the utility of psilocybin as a model of early psychosis.

Carhart-Harris, R. L., Leech, R., Erritzoe, D., Williams, T. M.,  Stone, J. M.,  Evans, J., …. Nutt, D. J. (2012). Functional Connectivity Measures After Psilocybin Inform a Novel Hypothesis of Early Psychosis. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 39(6), 1343-1351. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbs117
Link to full text

Wouter Hanegraaff – Entheogens and Contemporary Religion

October 25, 2021 / Uncategorized / By

This lecture was first given under the title “Entheogenic Esotericism” at the First International Conference on Contemporary Esotericism, Stockholm University 2012 (link to video). The text has been published in Egil Asprem & Kennet Granholm (eds.), Contemporary Esotericism, Equinox 2013, 392-409.

ABSTRACT
Contemporary esotericism is replete with references to impressive “mystical” or visionary experiences, which are typically credited with having radically changed people’s lives by bringing them into contact with a “spiritual” dimension of reality. Given the widely acknowledged fact that the contemporary neo-esoteric revival has its historical roots in the 1960s, known for its widespread experimentation with psychoactive substances such as LSD, it is remarkable how rarely specialists in this domain (including the speaker himself, in his 1996 monograph on the New Age) have seen this dimension as relevant at all.

In my lecture, I will argue that widespread experimentation with psychoactive or “entheogenic” substances is a significant factor in contemporary esotericism and should be given more attention by scholars. With some notable exceptions, such as Terence McKenna, Daniel Pinchbeck, or Alex Grey, esoteric authors and spokes(wo)men have tended to play down or deny this dimension, especially after the beginning of the “war on drugs” around 1970, and on the whole, scholars have been somewhat naïve in taking such emic denials at face value. Especially since “higher knowledge” or “gnosis” is widely seen as an important aspect of Western esotericism, the widespread claim that it may be attained or facilitated by psychoactive substances must be taken seriously in the study of contemporary esotericism.

About Wouter Hanegraaff:

Wouter J. Hanegraaff is Professor of History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, President of the European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism (ESSWE; see esswe.org), and a member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is the author of New Age Religion and Western Culture: Esotericism in the Mirror of Secular Thought (Leiden 1996/ Albany 1998); Lodovico Lazzarelli (1447-1500): The Hermetic Writings and Related Documents (Tempe 2005; with Ruud M. Bouthoorn); Swedenborg, Oetinger, Kant: Three Perspectives on the Secrets of Heaven (West Chester 2007), and numerous articles in academic journals and collective volumes. His forthcoming monograph Esotericism and the Academy will appear with Cambridge University Press in 2012.

Matthew Johnson – A Systematic Research Program Examining Psilocybin, Mystical Experience, Personality Change, Adverse Effects and Therapeutic Applications

October 25, 2021 / Uncategorized / By

This talk will describe several lines of research with psilocybin conducted by our laboratory at Johns Hopkins (Baltimore, USA). Completed study results to be presented include: the effects of different psilocybin doses on mystical experience and challenging effects (“bad trips”); the effects of psilocybin in altering personality (increased openness); and the effects of psilocybin on headache. Ongoing studies will also be described, including a study examining psilocybin to treat cancer-related anxiety and depression, a study examining psilocybin to facilitate the adoption of a meditation practice, and a study examining psilocybin in addiction (tobacco smoking) treatment.

BIOGRAPHY

Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, US. He received a Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the University of Vermont, and completed a fellowship in behavioral pharmacology at Johns Hopkins.

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