One of the hottest topics debated in the 2020 presidential race so far has been immigration reform. There has been widespread outrage centered on the separation of families and the horrible conditions and long stays in detention centers along our southern borders. Detainees hope they’ll be released as soon as possible, but for the children(...)
PTSD
A Revelation About DREADDs: A New Neuroscience Technique with Promise for Clinical Psychiatric Treatment
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchIn an essay I published last year for the Lasker Essay Contest (and republished in our blog), I described optogenetics and chemogenetics, two technologies recently developed for basic neuroscience research that have the potential to improve the way we treat psychiatric illness. The major drawback to drugs currently prescribed for diseases such as depression, PTSD,(...)
Ecstasy and Agony: Accepting MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy as a Breakthrough PTSD Treatment
Posted by | Perspectives in ResearchFor the majority of the population, MDMA, or ecstasy, is simply an illegal drug, its use exclusive to underground dance clubs and its abuse the purview of the police. However, a small group of psychopharmacological researchers and advocates have been touting this compound as the next major frontline treatment for a variety of troubling psychological(...)