The UC Berkeley scientist discusses her research combining psychedelics and RNA biology, and why it might hold the key to understanding how psychedelics work.
This angle on psychedelic research caught my eye as this sort of thing has been on my mind. I am a 55 years old. At age 50 I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. It is a mild case, deemed stable, managed by low-dose levodopa. Since learning something about this my disorder, I have been intrigued by the fact that I can momentarily alter some symptoms, such as tremors or stiffness, by engaging my muscles intentionally OR by distraction. I have never used psychedelics, but I am intrigued by the possibility that there might be a way to “find” new neural pathways—or modify them—through psychedelics in a more medium/long-term way (for obvious reasons I am not really interested in temporary relief while altered. As nice as that might be from time to time, it doesn’t seem like a a solution if modifications don’t extend beyond the drug’s active period). I do not suffer from depression as many with Parkinson’s do, but I’m wondering if the other classic symptoms might be addressed. Is anyone aware of studies being done in this arena?
While I appreciate that, like myself, Professor Gomez has been inculcated by Western Materialist metaphysics, I would suggest that the neural correlates of consciousness she is studying are NOT causal to the psychedelic/therapeutic effect (Indeed, in Materialism, the neural process IS the experience), but are partial images of a movement of mind (consciousness) and that she is making a classic correlation error. Otherwise loved the piece
This angle on psychedelic research caught my eye as this sort of thing has been on my mind. I am a 55 years old. At age 50 I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. It is a mild case, deemed stable, managed by low-dose levodopa. Since learning something about this my disorder, I have been intrigued by the fact that I can momentarily alter some symptoms, such as tremors or stiffness, by engaging my muscles intentionally OR by distraction. I have never used psychedelics, but I am intrigued by the possibility that there might be a way to “find” new neural pathways—or modify them—through psychedelics in a more medium/long-term way (for obvious reasons I am not really interested in temporary relief while altered. As nice as that might be from time to time, it doesn’t seem like a a solution if modifications don’t extend beyond the drug’s active period). I do not suffer from depression as many with Parkinson’s do, but I’m wondering if the other classic symptoms might be addressed. Is anyone aware of studies being done in this arena?
While I appreciate that, like myself, Professor Gomez has been inculcated by Western Materialist metaphysics, I would suggest that the neural correlates of consciousness she is studying are NOT causal to the psychedelic/therapeutic effect (Indeed, in Materialism, the neural process IS the experience), but are partial images of a movement of mind (consciousness) and that she is making a classic correlation error. Otherwise loved the piece