University Showcase, 8/13, 8a: On this episode we get an update on new studies around psychedelic-assisted therapy. The University of New Mexico has been engaged in research around psychedelic compounds since the early 1990s when Dr. Rick Strassman with the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences studied psilocybin and DMT (the active ingredient in ayahuasca).
More recently, a study in which UNM played a major role found promising results from psilocybin-assisted therapy helping people overcome alcohol use disorder, something we covered here in 2022.
UNM researchers are continuing this work, including Dr. Larry Leeman, a professor in the Departments of Family and Community Medicine who also directs the Milagro Program, which helps people overcome addiction during pregnancy. Leeman is studying the use of MDMA in treating opioid use disorder among those who are pregnant. He is starting new studies on treating postpartum depression with a compound similar to psilocybin. He is also starting a study to treat major depressive disorder with psilocybin.
He has been a guest before on this program, along with Dr. Snehal Bhatt, chief of the Division of Addictions Psychiatry, to talk about psychedelic therapy. Bhatt is launching a study later this year to explore how ketamine can treat methamphetamine addiction.
We recorded this on Friday August 9 and since then the Food and Drug Administration has declined to approve MDMA for treating PTSD.
People with postpartum depression interested in participating in the Reconnect study may contact the study team by email: reconnect@salud.unm.edu to learn more about the study and see if they are eligible.
People with major depression interested in participating in the uAspire psilocybin study may contact the study team by email: uaspire@salud.unm.edu to learn more about the study and see if they are eligible.
Postpartum People with PTSD and Opioid Use Disorder interested in participating in the MAT-POD study (MDMA Assisted Therapy) may contact the study team by email: Matpod@salud.unm.edu to learn more about the study and see if they are eligible.
