Psychedelic drugs were once relegated to the fringes of medicine due to their association with counterculture movements and the perceived harm of recreational use, leading to their legal prohibition in the 1960s. However, these drugs are now experiencing a renaissance in the field of psychiatry, backed by increasing evidence that they have the potential to treat a range of psychiatric disorders, particularly major depression. This presentation will set out the background of this exciting development and then explore current thinking regarding the mechanisms of psychedelic drugs and likely directions for future research in this fast-moving field.

Professor Trevor Sharp is Univ’s Radcliffe Medical Fellow in Neuroscience and Professor of Neuropharmacology at Oxford, based in the University Department of Pharmacology. He leads the Sharp Group in Neuropsychopharmacology, whose work focuses on understanding the organisation and function of certain neural pathways in the brain that are linked to psychiatric disorder, using this knowledge to help identify drugs to improve the treatment of psychiatric disorder.

This talk contains discussions that may be sensitive or triggering for some viewers. The content includes mentions of mental health disorders, depression, animal testing, drug usage (including psychedelics and psychiatric medications). Please take care while watching, and consider pausing or seeking support if you feel overwhelmed.

Presentation available here

Published: 22 October 2024

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