The latest episode of the Psychedelic Frontiers Podcast focuses on Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD) where individuals experience persistent visual hallucinations or perceptual distortions after previous use with drugs, including but not limited to psychedelics such as LSD. HPPD is rarely encountered in clinical settings, and its aetiology is poorly understood. Wide variations across participants are seen in symptoms, frequency and treatment-efficacy in this mysterious disorder, and it's clear more research is needed to identify its risk factors and underlying mechanisms. Today on the Psychedelic Frontiers Podcast, we’ll Torsten and Ben discuss what’s currently understood about HPPD, and review a recent systematic study exploring the disorder.

 Dr Passie is a German psychiatrist, professor at Hannover Medical School and is an expert in altered states of consciousness and psychedelic substances. Torsten was part of the only systematic scientific investigation of more than 20 subjects claiming symptoms of HPPD, and the results have been published in a major neuroscience journal. He has also published the only comprehensive book on the subject of flashback phenomena such as HPPD as after-effects of hallucinogen ingestion, recreational or otherwise.

 Ben Clayden, the creator and owner is currently studying for an MSci in Natural Sciences specialising in Neuroscience at the University of York. Alongside the podcast, he is the co-chair for Drug Sciences Student Society Network, as well as the president of his university's Drug Science Society. He has a key interest in and neuroimaging neuropsychopharmacology, particularly related to consciousness and mental health.

Halpern, J. H., Lerner, A. G., & Passie, T. (2018). A Review of Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD) and an Exploratory Study of Subjects Claiming Symptoms of HPPD. Current topics in behavioural neurosciences, 36, 333–360. https://doi.org/10.1007/7854_2016_457

Flashback-Phänomene als Nachwirkung von Halluzinogeneinnahme - Doris Holland, Torstan Passie, 2011 https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Flashback_Ph%C3%A4nomene_als_Nachwirkung_von.html?id=t2cOMwEACAAJ

A thank you to Neel Radia, a member of the podcast team who helped with the research and script production for this episode

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Recent statistics have shown that more than 100 million people on the planet have used MDMA, making it the second most popular drug worldwide. Commonly reported effects include altered sensations, increased energy, empathy and pleasure. Since its discovery, MDMA has garnered significant interest both from recreational users as a party drug, as well as from the medical and therapeutic communities as a possible therapeutic tool. Today, on the Psychedelic Frontiers podcast (formerly the Psychedelics in Medicine Podcast), we’ll take a deep dive into the rich history of MDMA.

Dr Passie is a German psychiatrist, professor at Hannover Medical School and is an expert in altered states of consciousness and psychedelic drugs. He has very recently published a book titled ‘The History of MDMA’ with Oxford University Press, the first-ever comprehensive history of MDMA. MDMA has had a complex often misunderstood and multilayered history. The book provides a deeper and more differentiated understanding of MDMA and its history, drawing partially on personal interviews with most of the people significant in the history of MDMA.

Ben Clayden, the creator and owner is currently studying for an MSci in Natural Sciences specialising in Neuroscience at the University of York. Alongside the podcast, he is the co-chair for Drug Sciences Student Society Network, as well as the president of his universities Drug Science Society. He has a key interest in neuropsychopharmacology, particularly related to the neural correlates of consciousness and altered states of consciousness.

LINK TO TORSTENS NEW BOOK - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-history-of-mdma-9780198867364?lang=en&cc=cr

Podcast Themes: Psychedelics, Drugs, Science, Medicine, Mental Health, Anxiety, Depression, Consciousness, Biology, Chemistry, Neuroscience, PsychologyContact and Extra Information: Keep updated, and listen to all our episodes and clips!

Podcast Email - psymedpod@gmail.com

Listen to the Psychedelic Frontiers Podcast! – https://rss.com/podcasts/psymedpod/

Psychedelic Frontiers Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/psymedpod/ Psychedelic Frontiers Twitter - https://twitter.com/in_psychedelics Psychedelic Frontiers TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@psymedpod

The phrase ‘psycholytic therapy’ was coined by Ronald A. Sandison, literally meaning soul-dissolving. In contrast to psychedelic therapy, psycholytic therapy places more emphasis on the psychotherapy than the substance. It typically consists of a low-to-medium dose of a psychedelic compound alongside more therapy sessions than its counterpart.

In this month’s episode of the Psychedelics in Medicine Podcast (PiMPOD), Dr Torsten Passie and Ben Clayden discuss psycholytic therapy. What is the history of substance assisted therapies? What are its differences to psychedelic therapy? Has it shown therapeutic relevance and efficacy? These and much more our discussed in today episode.

Dr Passie is a German psychiatrist, professor at Hannover Medical School and is an expert in altered states of consciousness. Torsten has performed clinical and experimental studies numerous psychoactive and psychedelic compounds ranging from nitrous oxide, to MDMA to ketamine.

Ben Clayden is the creator and owner of this Podcast. He is a student at the University of York studying Natural Sciences specialising in Neuroscience. He is co-chair for the Drug Science Student Society Network as well as the president of his University’s Psychedelics in Medicine Society.

Psychedelics, LSD, Psilocybin, MDMA, Therapy, Doctors, Neuroscience, Medicine Mental Health, Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, Wellbeing, Psycholytic

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In this month’s episode of the Psychedelics in Medicine Podcast (PiMPOD), Dr Torsten Passie and Ben Clayden discuss Self-experimentation with psychedelic substances. What is the history of psychedelic self-experimentation, why is self-experimentation important for therapists conducting psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, which aspects of the trip are particularly important, and what ethical issues may arise if psychedelic therapists are required to take psychedelics before finishing their training? All of these questions and more are covered in our first episode of 2023

Dr Passie is a German psychiatrist, professor at Hannover Medical School and is an expert in altered states of consciousness. Torsten has performed clinical and experimental studies numerous psychoactive and psychedelic compounds ranging from nitrous oxide, to MDMA to ketamine.

Ben Clayden is the creator and owner of this Podcast. He is a student at the University of York studying Natural Sciences specialising in Neuroscience. He is co-chair for the Drug Science Student Society Network as well as the president of his University’s Psychedelics in Medicine Society.

Psychedelics, LSD, Psilocybin, MDMA, Therapy, Doctors Neuroscience, Medicine Mental Health, Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, Wellbeing

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Ketamine: Anaesthetic, Psychedelic or Antidepressant

In this month’s episode of the Psychedelics in Medicine Podcast (PiMPOD), Dr Torsten Passie and Ben Clayden discuss Ketamine, a unique anaesthetic which can produce dissociative and even hallucinogenic states. We’ll take a look at Ketamine’s history, variations in its use across cultures, its pharmacology and differences between its two enantiomers, before finally discussing its potentially as a rapidly acting antidepressant.

Dr Passie is a German psychiatrist, professor at Hannover Medical School and is an expert in altered states of consciousness. Torsten has performed clinical and experimental studies numerous psychoactive and psychedelic compounds ranging from nitrous oxide, to MDMA to ketamine.

Ben Clayden is the creator and owner of this Podcast. He is a student at the University of York studying Natural Sciences specialising in Neuroscience. He is co-chair for the Drug Science Student Society Network as well as the president of his University’s Psychedelics in Medicine Society.

Psychedelics, Ketamine, Hallucinogens, Anaesthetic, Addition, Drugs Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacology, Neuroscience Mental Health, Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, Wellbeing

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References

Passie, T., Adams, H. A., Logemann, F., Brandt, S. D., Wiese, B., & Karst, M. (2021). Comparative effects of (S)-ketamine and racemic (R/S)-ketamine on psychopathology, state of consciousness and neurocognitive performance in healthy volunteers. European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, 44, 92–104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2021.01.005

In this month’s episode of the Psychedelics in Medicine Podcast (PiMPOD), Dr Torsten Passie and Ben Clayden discuss LSD Derivatives, A nearly identical molecule with just a few differences. We discuss multiple derivatives of LSD, including LSA, 2-Bromo-LSD (BOL-148), 1P-LSD and use them in combination to better understand the intricacies of the neural mechanisms of LSD, and how slight changes to a molecules three-dimensional structure can completely alter their effects, through differences in ligand-receptor binding.

We then look at a study using a non-hallucinogenic version of LSD, BOL-148 as preventative treatment for cluster headache, discussing its implications, and further research that could be completed relating to LSD derivatives.

Dr Passie is a German psychiatrist, professor at Hannover Medical School and is an expert in altered states of consciousness. Torsten has performed clinical and experimental studies numerous psychoactive and psychedelic compounds ranging from nitrous oxide, to MDMA to ketamine.

Ben Clayden is the creator and owner of this Podcast. He is a student at the University of York studying Natural Sciences specialising in Neuroscience. He is co-chair for the Drug Science Student Society Network as well as the president of his University’s Psychedelics in Medicine Society.

Psychedelics, LSD, Hallucinogens Biology, Chemistry, Structural Biology, Neuroscience Cluster Headaches,

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References

Karst M, Halpern JH, Bernateck M, Passie T. The non-hallucinogen 2-bromo-lysergic acid diethylamide as preventative treatment for cluster headache: an open, non-randomized case series. Cephalalgia. 2010 Sep;30(9):1140-4. doi: 10.1177/0333102410363490. Epub 2010 Mar 26. PMID: 20713566.

In this months episode of PiMPOD, I, Ben Clayden am once again joined with Dr Torsten Passie. Today we’ll take a look into the science of microdosing psychedelics.

We discuss the background history and science before taking a look at two recent papers looking at the effects of microdosing psilocybin. We take a look into the placebo effect and the role of expectation and finally, Torsten shares his thoughts on methodological approaches to avoiding participants breaking blind, and what a useful placebo may be for microdosing.

Dr Torsten Passie is a German psychiatrist, professor at Hannover Medical School and is an expert in altered states of consciousness. In 2019 Torsten published The Science of Microdosing Psychedelics, a comprehensive review of scientific data, where he reveals the rich and little known history of research with micro and low dose psychedelics. The over 200 page book has been revised and recommended by David Nichols, the leading LSD scientist and by the leading microdosing expert, James Fadiman.

Ben Clayden is a student at the University of York studying Natural Sciences specialising in Neuroscience. He is co-chair for the Drug Science Student Society Network as well as the president of his Universities Psychedelics in Medicine Society

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Related Topics

Microdosing, LSD, Psilocybin, Psychedelics, Medicine, Placebo, Neuroscience, Science, Mental Health, Health

References

Balázs SzigetiLaura KartnerAllan BlemingsFernando RosasAmanda FeildingDavid J NuttRobin L Carhart-HarrisDavid Erritzoe (2021) Self-blinding citizen science to explore psychedelic microdosing eLife 10:e62878. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.6287

van Elk, M., Fejer, G., Lempe, P. et al. Effects of psilocybin microdosing on awe and aesthetic experiences: a preregistered field and lab-based study. Psychopharmacology 239, 1705–1720 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-021-05857-0