Recordings from the 2025 Neuro-APP Symposium-Fentanyl Ketamine And Psilocybin

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The speaker reviews three drugs through a neuroscience lens. Psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, acts on serotonin receptors and may promote neuroplasticity. Early studies suggest potential benefits for depression and substance-use disorders, while animal and small human studies raise interest in brain injury; evidence remains emerging, and adverse effects can include anxiety and suicidal thoughts.<br /><br />Ketamine, an NMDA-receptor antagonist, may also influence neuroplasticity. It is used for anesthesia and, increasingly, treatment-resistant depression and neuropathic pain. Some patients report lasting relief, but research on pain remains limited and inconsistent, and dissociative effects are a concern.<br /><br />The talk then focuses on fentanyl: a fully synthetic, highly potent opioid increasingly involved in overdose deaths. Illicit production, variable potency, contamination of other drugs, and counterfeit pills make dosing unpredictable. The speaker discusses naloxone, medication-assisted treatment, fentanyl test strips, and supervised services as harm-reduction measures, arguing that reducing deaths requires more than an abstinence-only approach. She closes by sharing that her brother died of a fentanyl overdose, underscoring the personal cost of the crisis.

Keywords

psilocybin

ketamine

fentanyl

neuroplasticity

serotonin receptors

NMDA receptor antagonist

treatment-resistant depression

overdose deaths

harm reduction