Conference program - Colloquium on Psychedelic Psychiatry by Nätverket för psykedelisk vetenskap

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

WELCOME TO THE COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018! What is Colloquium on Psychedelic Psychiatry about and why is it taking place now? While obviously constituting a gathering of psychedelic researchers from around the world, it is also an attempt at a wake-up call to the Swedish academic community. It is time to get acquainted with both published and ongoing research in this field, and to participate by getting clinical studies up and running in Sweden. High levels of mental illness is one of the major challenges of modern society, and established psychiatric treatments are failing patients. Psychiatric care is in urgent need of innovation. Psychedelic treatment models were once viewed as very promising tools in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. During the 50’s and 60’s, more than 1,000 scientific articles were published on possible applications of LSD, psilocybin and others. Before the field was shut down due to a potent mix of politics and bureaucracy, over 40,000 patients were treated with promising results. The past decade has seen a renaissance of psychedelic research at prestigious universities throughout the western world. In research with high technology equipment and meticulous study design, researchers are re-discovering

that substances such as MDMA and psilocybin can serve as powerful aids to psychotherapy in severe disorders previously considered treatmentresistant. Apart from being an academic seminar, a colloquium is also a legal term used to describe the part of a defamation complaint in which the plaintiff averts slanderous remarks related to him or her. As such we regard this conference as a symbolic colloquium against the derogatory campaigns which lead to the abandonment of a whole field of study in the 60’s. We aim to help the current research shed much needed light upon this important field, breaking the stigma bestowed upon it and releasing the potential it holds both in regard for medicine and science in general. It’s with great honour and anticipation that we hereby welcome you all to the first ever Colloquium on Psychedelic Psychiatry!

Contents p. 06 Practical information p. 08 Conference map p. 08 Organizers p. 10 Weekend Schedule/Program p. 14 CPP2018 Afterparty: Stimulus p. 16 The Future of Mental Health? p. 18 Abstracts p. 49 Poster presenters p. 51 Partners

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Practical information The conference program will run from 09.00 to 18.00 Saturday and Sunday, with an additional more informal evening program during Saturday evening. Sessions will last 45 minutes, including questions. If you have a question, you need to stand up and go to the designated microphone to ask it. We kindly ask that participants do not enter or leave the lecture hall during a session. midnight and we encourage all participants to stay for as long as they like.

Meal arrangements For participants who have meals included in the conference ticket, refreshments are served on level 2 and lunch is served on level 1. For others, it is possible to purchase lunch wraps from the bar on level 1. For a relaxed à la carte dinner, it is possible to book a table at SQ Restaurant, located inside Elite Hotel Marina Tower. It will also be possible to order burgers from the hotel bar during the whole evening (this includes veggie burgers as well).

CPP2018 Afterparty: Stimulus We finish off the weekend with an allnight party at Noden on Sunday night, featuring live performances, dj’s and art installations. Getting tickets in advance is essential for joining the afterparty, as the venue has limited capacity and we are likely to sell out. Tickets are 100 SEK / 10 EURO for CPP participants, available at cpp2018.se.

Saturday evening program We begin the poster session 19.00 with a brief announcement and glass of sparkling wine for the early comers. The evening program also includes a panel discussion, and a screening of lost videotapes from the 60’s psychedelic research in France, hosted by PhD candidate Vincent Verroust. The bar will be open until

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Organizers

The Swedish Network for Psychedelic Science

The Swedish Network for Psychedelic Science (NĂ¤tverket fĂśr psykedelisk vetenskap, NPV) is a nonprofit organization based in Stockholm that works to promote the scientific study of psychedelic substances. The organization was formed in 2016 with the intent to act as a hub, connecting Swedish researchers from various disciplines with each other and the international psychedelic science community.

worthy of further investigation. Thus, the collection and dissemination of scientifically based information is crucial for increasing our understanding of these topics. We pursue this purpose by: Connecting researchers and clinicians interested in the field of psychedelic science, in order to exchange ideas and knowledge as well as stimulate research projects.

The purpose of the organization is to promote a scientific approach to psychedelic substances and to increase the opportunities for researchers to investigate mechanisms of action, risks and potential clinical applications. We consider the therapeutic potential of these subjects as promising and

Keep dialogues with relevant organizations to enable such research. Inform the general public about what psychedelic science is and about possible applications. This is to raise awareness of, and hopefully support for, these issues.

Members of the board: Swedish Network for Psychedelic Science

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Conference Map

FLOOR 2 Staircase

Solliden

Hotel Desk

The Lounge

Lift

FLOOR 1 Entrance

Frontdesk

The Golden Hall

Bar

SQ Restaurant

Lift

Staircase

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Weekend Schedule

Saturday 13th of October 2018

Lecture hall: THE GOLDEN HALL 9:00-10:00

Keynote Alicia Danforth: Psychotherapy in Psychedelic Science

10:00-10:10

BREAK

10:10-10:55

Matthew W. Johnson: Psychedelic Research at Johns Hopkins

10:55-11:20

REFRESHMENTS

11:20-12:05

Charles Grob: From Adolescence to Senescence : Hallucinogens Across the Life Span

12:05-12:15

BREAK

12:15-13:00

Eric Vermetten: Increasing awareness for novel treatments for PTSD

13:00-14:00

LUNCH

14:00-14:40

Rosalind Watts: The Hexaflex as an Adjunct to Psychedelic Therapy

14:40-15:00

James Brooks Close: Psychedelics Promote Psychological Flexibility*

15:00-15:10

BREAK

15:10-15:55

Jeffrey Kamlet: From Womb to Tomb - What’s so Special About Ibogaine

15:55-16:20

REFRESHMENTS

16:20-17:05

David Erritzøe: Psychedelic Compounds for Affective Symptoms

17:05-17:15

BREAK

17:15-18:00

Jeffrey Guss: Psychedelic Therapy for Depression using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Lecture hall: THE LOUNGE 19:00-20:00

Poster Session & Level 2 Bar Opens

20:00-21:00

Poster Session 10

* Some titles were shortened due to lack of space. For full title, see abstract section.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Weekend Schedule

Saturday 13th of October 2018

Lecture hall: SOLLIDEN 10:10-10:55

Rodrigo Pérez-Esparza: Promises and Concerns Regarding Novel-Acting Antidepressants: The Example of Ketamine

10:55-11:20

REFRESHMENTS

11:20-12:05

Débora González: Long-term effects of ayahuasca in bereavement

12:05-12:15

BREAK

12:15-13:00

Mendel Kaelen: The role of music, set and setting in psychedelic therapy

13:00-14:00

LUNCH

14:00-14:40

Thomas K Brown: Ibogaine Treatment for SUD: Current State of Knowledge and Directions for Future Research*

14:40-15:00

Christine Clark: Ibogaine Treatment for Substance Use Disorder: Clinical Relevance of Psychoactive Properties

15:00-15:10

BREAK

15:10-15:55

Marc Aixalà: Integration of a Difficult Psilocybin Experience in a Clinical Trial. A Case Study

15:55-16:20

REFRESHMENTS

16:20-17:05

Boris Heifets: Toward Single Shot Therapy for Neuropsychiatric Disorders: MDMA, Ketamine and Beyond

17:05-17:15

BREAK

17:15-18:00

Kim Kuypers: Two Psychedelics and Their Effects on Flexible Thinking and Empathy

20:00-21:00

Panel: Looking Back - Historical and Ethical Perspectives on Psychedelic Psychiatry. Facilitated by Ben Sessa.

21:00-22:00

Early Research on Psilocybin Mushrooms: Excerpts From a Lost French Scientific Documentary. Hosted by Vincent Verroust

11 * Some titles were shortened due to lack of space. For full title, see abstract section.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Weekend Schedule Sunday 14th of October 2018

Lecture hall: THE GOLDEN HALL 9:00-10:00

Keynote David E. Nichols: Psychedelics as Medicines

10:00-10:10

BREAK

10:10-10:55

Katrin Preller: How Psychedelics Can Help Us Understand Social Cognition and Self-Experience*

10:55-11:20

REFRESHMENTS

11:20-12:05

Elizabeth Nielson: Do No Harm by Omission: The Need for Psychedelic Integration in Clinical Settings

12:05-12:15

BREAK

12:15-13:00

Alex Belser: The Psychedelic Mystical Experience

13:00-14:00

LUNCH

14:00-14:45

Torsten Passie: Neurophysiological and Psychological Mechanisms of Entactogens in Psychotherapy

14:45-14:50

BREAK

14:50-15:35

Anne Wagner: MDMA + Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD and MDMA + CPT for PTSD â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Results and Developments*

15:35-16:00

REFRESHMENTS

16:00-16:45

Stephen Ross: Therapeutic Use of Classic Psychedelics to Treat Cancerrelated Psychiatric Distress

16:45-16:50

BREAK

16:50-17:15

Fredrik von Kieseritzky: Getting Schedule I Substances Into Humans - Legally: Regulatory Hurdles and Ways Forward

17:15-18:00

Panel: Looking forward - Challenges and Possibilities in Psychedelic Research.

12 * Some titles were shortened due to lack of space. For full title, see abstract section.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Weekend Schedule Sunday 14th of October 2018

Lecture hall: SOLLIDEN 10:10-10:55

Ben Sessa: Child Abuse, Trauma, MDMA Therapy and The Future of Medicine

10:55-11:20

REFRESHMENTS

11:20-12:05

Tomas Palenicek: Psilocybin´s Effect on Perception, Cognition and Brain Activity – An Overview of the Czech Study*

12:05-12:15

BREAK

12:15-13:00

Martin K. Madsen: Psilocybin Occupancy and Modulation of Serotonin 2A Receptors: PET Studies in Humans

13:00-14:00

LUNCH

14:00-14:45

Maria Balaet: A Novel Perspective on the Interaction of Psychedelic Drugs with Memory Processing

14:45-14:50

BREAK

14:50-15:35

Michael Ashton: DMT Human Pharmacokinetics

15:35-16:00

REFRESHMENTS

16:00-16:45

Benjamin Mudge: The Therapeutic Potential of Ayahuasca for People with Bipolar Disorder

13 * Some titles were shortened due to lack of space. For full title, see abstract section.

Advance Ticket Prices: GENERAL ADMISSION 150 SEK / 15 EUR CPP PARTICIPANT 100 SEK / 10 EUR Time: Oct 14th, 21.00 - 05.00 Location: Noden, Sickla IndustrivÃ¤g 6A, Nacka

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

CPP2018 AFTERPARTY STIMULUS After an intense weekend of lectures and presentations, we gather at Noden to round off the weekend in style. A stimulus incites activity and energy. With some of Stockholm’s finest live performers, dj’s and artists, this Stimulus will guarantee a response.

Live performances: Soroush & Mehrdad Acid Hamam (Tom Tom Disco) & Nasiri

Noden Noden is a truly unique venue. Located in an old office building in Nacka, it has for the last three years been constantly renovated and filled with content by a growing community. Noden is located at Sickla Industriväg 6A, accessed from Elite Hotel by the Saltsjöbanan train to Sickla Station or the 401/403 buses to Sickla industriväg. Walking takes about 30 minutes.

DJs: Malin Karlsson (DAHLIA) Drakenberg Ty Tugwell Art Installations: Elin Nilsson Andreas Dahl Fin T Öhlund Noden is a no-shoes venue. Credit cards will not be accepted bring cash!

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Psychedelic Psychiatry:

THE FUTURE OF MENTAL HEALTH? As we return to the normal world, we face the same challenges as prior to CPP2018.The possibility of psychedelic therapies may seem within reach, but the research is still at an early stage. In Sweden, not much seems to be happening at all. Is psychedelic psychiatry just a trend, championed by Burning Man neo-hippies? Or could it be the beginning of a paradigm shift in how we approach mental health?

We take this unique opportunity to bring together international researchers with renowned Swedish academics, to answer a few fundamental questions. Is psychedelic psychiatry effective? Is it needed? And is it possible in Sweden?

The Panel: ALEX BELSER, PhD, Clinical Research Fellow at Yale University ALICIA DANFORTH, PhD, Clinical Psychologist and Researcher, UCSF DR MATS HUMBLE, PhD, Senior Psychiatrist, Ã&#x2013;rebro University Hospital.

We look forward to discussing this important topic with you! Tickets

DR ALEXANDER LEBEDEV, PhD, Assistant Professor, Karolinska Institutet

http://bit.ly/cpp18_future or via cpp2018.se.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Advance Ticket Prices: GENERAL ADMISSION 100 SEK / 10 EUR Time: Oct 17th, 18.00 - 20.00 Location: Norrsken House, Birger Jarlsgatan 57 c, Stockholm

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Abstracts Marc B. AixalĂ MSc Integration of a difficult psilocybin experience in a clinical trial. A Case Study. Speaker: 15:10-15:55, Sat at Solliden Although Integration psychotherapy has become a common topic in the psychedelic-assisted therapy community, its scope and practices are not yet well defined nor understood. As more psychedelicnaive people participate in clinical trials in which they receive high doses, it becomes more necessary to understand what psychotherapeutic approaches can be helpful both to reduce the potential undesired adverse reactions and to maximise the benefits derived from the experience. In this lecture a case of an integration psychotherapy process will be presented. The subject participated in a clinical trial to

treat depression, and received 2 doses of psilocybin. After an initial improvement, he experienced a severe worsening of his symptoms and blamed it on the content of the high dose session. A year later, the subject received 10 psychotherapy sessions to address this situation, at the end of which were reported not only improvement from the undesired reactions, but also a general improvement of the depression as well as new insights and benefits from the psilocybin experience. The core issues of the case and the interventions performed will be presented in detail in this lecture.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Michael Ashton PhD DMT human pharmacokinetics Speaker: 14:50-15:35, Sun at Solliden

Pharmacokinetics (PK), a major discipline within the pharmaceutical sciences, studies how processes of absorption, distribution, biotransformation and excretion govern the time-course of drug concentrations in the body. It is a fundamental science when developing new drugs as well as from a drug regulatory aspect. PK is closely linked with pharmacodynamics (PD), which studies the intensity and time-course of drug effects. We have recently developed a highly sensitive assay, by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, for the quantitative analysis of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in human bloodplasma. Preliminary results on DMT pharmacokinetics from two clinical studies in healthy subjects* will be discussed. A PK-PD mathematical model characterizing the relationship between DMT exposure and the

time-course of EEG effects will be exemplified. Such a model may be used to simulate exposure and effects after alternative methods of DMT administration. CO-author: Adam Bendrioua *Courtesy of Chris Timmerman & Robin Carhart-Harris, together with Rick Strassman & Andrew Gallimore. their unusual pharmacokinetics and metabolic transformation in the body. These drugs have today become global first-line treatment of severe malaria. The explorative use of psychedelics as psychotherapy tools requires a better understanding on how their effects are related to drug exposure. He expects his main contribution to be within mathematical modelling and simulation to better understand static and time-related relationships between drug concentrations and elicited effects.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Maria Balaet MSc A novel perspective on the interaction of psychedelic drugs with memory processing. Speaker: 14:00-14:40, Sun at Solliden

Memory plays an essential role in the human experience – it is a fundamental adaptive feature that allows us to carry out daily activities and plan for the future, based on previously acquired information. It has been argued that episodic memory, a component of autobiographical memory, lies at the core of subjectivity, and is a requirement for self-awareness. Psychedelic drugs have recently received a boost in interest and scientific exploration. The two key features of these drugs are their affinity for the 5-HT2A receptor, and their ability to instil the “egodissolution” phenomenon, from a neuropsychological point of view. In humans, memory processing

is dependent on the serotonergic system, which incidentally calls psychedelic drugs into the equation. This presentation aims to collate and critically review the most recent evidence from neuropharmacological and neuropsychological research and introduce a novel theoretical framework for understanding the action of psychedelic drugs on the human brain, through their interaction with memory processing. This would be useful in the further exploration of the brain, in understanding the basis of human consciousness, and how these drugs are effective in psychiatric disorders and guide therapeutic interventions in the future.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Alexander Belser PhD Psychedelic Mystical Experience. Speaker: 12:15-13:00, Sat at The Golden Hall

Introduction: There are two outstanding research questions: (1) What is the nature of psychedelic mystical experience? (2) Are these experiences as authentic as mystical experiences occasioned spontaneously or through nonpsychedelic means? Methods: Two studies are presented. In the first study, 739 participants reported the psychological impact of their religious, spiritual, or mystical experiences (RSMEs) and indicated whether or not they were induced by a psychedelic substance. In the second study, in-depth semistructured interviews were carried out with 13 adult participants with clinically elevated anxiety associated with a cancer diagnosis who received psilocybinassisted psychotherapy. Interviews were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: Compared to non-psychedelically occasioned RSMEs, psychedelic experiences were rated as more

intensely mystical (d = .75, p < .001), resulted in a reduced fear of death (d = .21, p < .01), increased sense of purpose (d = .18, p < .05), and increased spirituality (d = .28, p < .001). In the qualitative study, typical themes regarding RSMEs emerged, including the experience of receiving wisdom lessons, exalted feelings of joy or bliss, feeling love, ineffability, alterations to identity, and a movement from separateness to interconnectedness. Additionally, themes not conventionally associated with RSMEs were also found, including embodiment, relational embededness, emotional range and catharsis. Conclusions: These findings suggest that RSMEs induced with psychedelic substances are genuinely mystical and result in positive outcomes. Findings suggest that the natures of RSMEs are myriad rather than unitary, and that single factor measures of mystical experience may be insufficient.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Thomas K. Brown PhD Ibogaine Treatment for Substance Use Disorder: Current State of Knowledge and Directions for Future Research Speaker: 14:00-14:40 Sat at Solliden Introduction: Ibogaine is a psychoactive alkaloid derived from Tabernanthe iboga, a plant used for centuries in initiatory rituals in West Central Africa. Since the 1980’s, this alkaloid has been used with increasing frequency to treat addiction, most commonly opioid addiction. Recent studies (Schenberg et al 2014, Noller et al 2017, Brown and Alper 2017) demonstrate ibogaine’s efficacy in treating substance dependence. However, the mechanisms by which ibogaine ameliorates withdrawal symptoms, reduces drug cravings, and facilitates long-term reductions in drug use are unknown despite numerous pre-clinical studies elucidating ibogaine’s complex pharmacological activity. Methods: A review of the literature on ibogaine treatment outcomes, mechanisms of action, toxicity, and phenomenology will be conducted.

Results: Ibogaine treatment has been shown to attenuate drug cravings and opioid withdrawal symptoms; to reduce drug use severity and to improve social and family well-being; and to ameliorate symptoms of depression. Ibogaine can occasion experiences that may variously be considered mystical, dream-like, and akin to near-death experiences. Ibogaine’s mechanism of action remains elusive, and the question of whether or not the psychoactive effects of ibogaine play a role in its therapeutic efficacy remains unanswered. Conclusions: Further study is required to elucidate ibogaine’s mechanisms of therapeutic action and to determine how to achieve the best outcomes for ibogaine treatment. CO-author: Christine M. Clark, MD.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Christine Clark MD Ibogaine Treatment for Substance Use Disorder: Clinical Relevance of Psychoactive Properties. Speaker: 14:40-15:00 Sat at Solliden Introduction: A growing body of literature indicates that mystical type peak experiences during psychedelic therapy are associated with improved clinical outcomes and persisting psychological and behavioral changes in a variety of conditions including substance dependence, end of life anxiety, and treatment resistant depression. This has been seen in the classic hallucinogens which act primarily as agonists at the 5HT2A receptor and ketamine, which has NMDA antagonism like ibogaine.

Results: As defined by the MEQ43, ibogaine caused a complete mystical experience in 23% of subjects across three clinical studies. The relationship between this experience and clinical outcomes in opioid addiction will be presented. Conclusions: Additionally, this presentation will review the literature on the therapeutic importance of the psychoactive effects of ibogaine including its history of use in psychedelic therapy by Claudio Naranjo and Leo Zeff and the ceremonial use of iboga in Bwiti rituals in West Central Africa. While the medical and scientific communities often view ibogaineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s psychoactive properties as either irrelevant or undesirable side effects, this presentation explores the evidence supporting their therapeutic benefit.

Methods: This presentation pools secondary data from three previous IRB approved studies and describes the phenomenology of ibogaine using the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ43) in 96 subjects (Noller et al 2018, Brown and Alper 2018, Barsuglia et al. 2017, poster presentation). Clinical outcome data from opiate addiction is available from two of the studies (n=42) (Noller et al 2018, Brown and Alper 2018).

CO-author: Thomas Kingsley Brown PhD

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

James Brooks Close MSc, MACP Psychedelics promote psychological flexibility - Results of a web-based survey using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire II (AAQ-II). Speaker: 14:40-15:00 Sat at The Golden Hall There is a growing base of research supporting the therapeutic efficacy of classic psychedelics in treating patients with anxiety and depression, however, little is known about the psychological mechanisms underpinning these effects. This survey aimed to measure changes in psychological flexibility following a self-reported psychedelic experience using the Acceptance in Action Questionnaire II (AAQII). 162 respondents completed the web-based survey (www. psychedelicsurvery.com) which also included measures of depressive symptomatology (QIDS) and trait-anxiety (STAI-T). Significant improvements in AAQ-II scores

(p < 0.05) were observed at two weeks, and four weeks following the experience. Improvements peaked at two weeks, and correlated with reductions in QUID (p>0.05), and STAI-T (p>0.05) scores. Results of this study suggest psychological flexibility may be enhanced by the psychedelic experience, integrating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy into protocols for psychedelic therapy may help to optimise their therapeutic efficacy. CO-authors: Rosalind Watts, Eline Haijen, Mendel Kaelen, Robin Carhart-Harris

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Alicia Danforth PhD Psychotherapy in Psychedelic Science Keynote Speaker: 9:00-10:00 Sat at The Golden Hall

Introduction: From antiquity to the present day worldwide, skilled specialists have paired plantsourced and synthetic psychedelic compounds with psychotherapeutic support before, during, and after medicine sessions in controlled settings. In the reemerging study of the experimental treatment of mental illness and emotional disturbance with psychedelicassisted therapies, neither the medication nor the psychotherapy is adjunctive to the other. This interdependence of treatment modalities poses challenges for researchers exploring drug effects who want to minimize variability in clinical research settings and eventually maximize safe access to approved care. Methods and Results: From a clinicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective, this talk will focus on the role of psychotherapy in three pilot studies of psychedelicassisted treatment that commenced between 2004 and 2017. Specifically,

the roles of supportive talk therapy with psilocybin for existential anxiety reactive to late-stage cancer, standardized mindfulness therapy with MDMA for autistic adults with social anxiety, and group therapy combined with individual, single-dose psilocybin sessions for treatment of demoralization and psychological distress in long-term HIV survivors will be examined. Conclusions: In addition to exploring advances in neuroscience, pharmacokinetics, and psychopharmacology, psychiatry will also be called over the coming years to innovate and evaluate approaches to psychotherapy interventions that have the potential to improve outcomes for psychedelic-assisted treatment. New paradigms will require multidisciplinary approaches to optimize benefits and reduce risks of combining psychedelic medicines and psychotherapy for wide-ranging indications in diverse populations.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

David ErritzĂ¸e MD, PhD Psychedelic compounds for affective symptoms Speaker: 16:20-17:05 Sat at The Golden Hall

In my talk I will present an overview of the imaging data from our work with psilocybin at Imperial, including fMRI data from our recent clinical pilot trial in treatment-resistant depression. Additionally, clinical data as well as our findings on personality measures will be presented. Finally, I will show preliminary clinical and personality data from our global online survey.

An update about clinical data from the psychedelic studies at Imperial College; brain imaging data, global survey data, and personality data will be presented. CO-authors: Roseman L, Watts R, Nour MM, MacLean K, Kaelen M, Nutt DJ, Carhart-Harris RL

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Débora González PhD Long-term effects of ayahuasca in bereavement Speaker: 11:20-12:05 Sat at Solliden

The death of our loved ones is one of the most painful experiences that probably all of us will face at some point in our lives. Until now, a crosssectional retrospective study has shown that ayahuasca intake could foster the acceptance of the death and emotional regulation, enhancing natural re-adaptation to life (Gonzales et al., 2017). However, our understanding about the potential of ayahuasca use in bereavement is still very limited.

attended different retreats where they drunk ayahuasca between 4 to 8 times in a maximum period of one month. Findings show a significant decrease in grief and psychopathological symptoms 15 days after leaving the retreat, as well as a significant increase in quality of life. Furthermore the results were maintained over a one year followup. In this talk, it will be discussed the role of experiential avoidance and decentering in this clinical improvement.

This presentation will share final outcomes of a longitudinal study, at the Temple of the Way of Light, in people grieving the death of a loved one.There, participants

Co-authors: Jordi Cantillo; Maria Carvalho; Jose Carlos Bouso; Irene Pérez; Amanda Feilding; Jordi Obviols.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Charles S. Grob MD From Adolescence to Senescence : Hallucinogens Across the Life Span Speaker: 11:20-12:05 Sat at The Golden Hall Hallucinogens, or psychedelics, are chemical compounds that possess a unique range of effects and are often present in plants and fungi that have been accessed since the dawn of human habitation. Given the recent surge of interest in the potential utility of the hallucinogen treatment model, it may be prudent to examine some of the structures employed by traditional cultures to optimize safety and outcome. This talk will address issues of nomenclature, pharmacology, ethnobotany, indigenous ritual use, epidemiology, known adverse effects, potential therapeutic applications and recent advances and challenges for the field. The importance of extra pharmacological factors in psychedelic use to optimizing outcome will be examined, including preparation for the experience, set and setting, powerful expectation effects directed toward predetermined therapeutic

goals, formalized structure of the session, induction of the altered state of consciousness, navigating the psychedelic terrain and postsession integration. The impressive accomplishments of psychiatric research with hallucinogens in the 1950s and 1960s will be explored as will progress since sanctioned hallucinogen research reemerged in the 1990s. Potential new psychedelic treatment applications will be explored as will concerns over obstacles the future may hold. Whether we are on the threshold of implementing a novel and more effective treatment model for refractory psychiatric disorders or if we are to see a reprise of the unfortunate demise of psychedelic research as witnessed by the previous generation of investigators in the 1960s may ultimately be determined by our ability to learn from the lessons of the past.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Jeffrey Guss MD Psychedelic Therapy for Depression using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Speaker: 17:15-18:00 Sat at The Golden Hall Introduction: Whether trying to address cancer related anxiety, alcoholism or depression, psilocybin therapy needs to be grounded in a coherent therapeutic model. We need this model to guide the treatment, generate hypotheses about mechanisms of action, and embed the treatment in the specific context in which it is occurring (a university not a rainforest). This presentation describes a current research project that utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a platform for psilocybin assisted therapy of Major Depressive Disorder. Methods: This presentation reviews the specific therapy approaches

used psilocybin assisted therapy for cancer related anxiety and alcohol use disorder. It then details the use of Acceptance And Commitment therapy as the central therapy approach used in Yale Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s study of psilocybin-assisted therapy for Major Depressive Disorder. Results, Conclusions: The significant overlap between Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and core aspects of the psychedelic experience make ACT a promising model for imagining a culturally relevant model for psychedelic action as well as guiding preparation and integration sessions.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Boris Heifets MD, PhD Toward single shot therapy for neuropsychiatric disorders: MDMA, ketamine and beyond Speaker: 16:20-17:05 Sat at Solliden Both lay press and scientific media have taken notice of two jolting advances in psychiatric medicine: MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for patients with PTSD, and ketamine infusions for severely depressed patients. Therapeutic options for severe psychiatric disease have not substantially changed in decades, yet there is growing appreciation that psychiatric disease carries just as much morbidity and mortality risk as heart disease and cancer. Accumulating evidence demonstrates the inadequacy of standard therapy and compels us to reevaluate the long standing opposition to therapy with powerful psychoactive medicine. MDMA and ketamine are the most widely publicized examples of this new frontier in psychiatric medicine, and have the most compelling clinical evidence behind them. Together, they are also prototypes

of an emerging class of therapies that may have more in common with stem-cell transplants than with SSRIs. Patients in preliminary clinical trials have experienced years-long remission of PTSD after a single dose of MDMA in the context of psychotherapy. MDMA’s therapeutic onset can be measured in minutes and hours rather than the weeks and months typical of SSRIs. MDMA’s rapid onset and lasting therapeutic effect suggest that it is a powerful catalyst for behavioral recovery by means of therapeutic synaptic plasticity. By defining the mechanism for MDMA’s prosocial therapeutic effect we can begin developing new treatments that harness the same underlying biological processes, while sidestepping the safety, regulatory and sociopolitical issues surrounding this remarkable mode of therapy.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Matthew W. Johnson PhD Psychedelic Research at Johns Hopkins Speaker: 10:10-10:55 Sat at The Golden Hall

For over 15 years the Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Group has been the preeminent and most productive research team in the United States conducting human research with psychedelics. They have shown breathtaking scientific productivity, having published over 50 peer-reviewed manuscripts on psychedelics. Notable accomplishments have included: The first research since the 1970s to study mystical experience resulting from psychedelic administration to drug-naĂŻve people; the development of safety guidelines for human psychedelic research which have advanced the approval of psychedelic research at a growing number of universities; the first research showing that psychedelic administration increases personality openness; the first research examining a psychedelic in the treatment of tobacco/nicotine addiction; the

first research demonstrating the psychedelic effects of salvinorin A and dextromethorphan under blind conditions; the development of valid psychological scales for assessing mystical experiences and challenging experiences resulting from psychedelic administration; the first study on the effects of psychedelic administration on volunteers initiating a meditation program; the first study showing that MDMA pill testing services reduce harm by decreasing intended consumption of unintended or unknown substances; and the largest randomized trial showing that psilocybin produces large and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with a lifethreatening cancer diagnosis. This presentation will provide a review of this large program of research, including overviews of published studies as well as updates on current research.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Mendel Kaelen PhD The role of music, set and setting in psychedelic therapy Speaker: 12:15-13:00 Sat at Solliden

Non-drug factors such as music, the personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind-set and the physical environment, influence the experience and clinical outcomes in psychedelic therapies significantly. The global interest in the therapeutic use of psychedelics calls for an empirical understanding of these non-drug factors, and how they can

be best used in therapeutic practice to maximise safety and therapeutic efficacy. This talk will review historical and most recent research findings on the role of set, setting and music in psychedelic therapy, and discuss current challenges and future opportunities.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Jeffrey Kamlet MD From Womb to Tomb - Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so Special About Ibogaine Speaker: 15:10-15:55 Sat at The Golden Hall

Introduction about entheogens in general and the nature and value of the experience.Then, what is similar and different about ibogaine. Entheogens in the context of what

can learned use and concept of plant as teacher. I am also Chair of Ethics Committee of GITA and lecture includes ethics in the administration of plant teachers.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Fredrik von Kieseritzky PhD Getting Schedule I substances into humans - legally: Regulatory hurdles and ways forward Speaker: 16:50-17:15 Sun at The Golden Hall International drugs conventions and national laws are full of contradictions. On one hand all drugs “may be used in medical treatment and research”, but on the other, Schedule I drugs have - by definition - “no therapeutic value.” This creates a regulatory paradox, making research on new therapeutic uses for Schedule I substances an extraordinary complex endeavor.

There exists a curious and lesser known example of contemporary medical use of the most archetypical Schedule I substance, heroin, which in fact is the first-line agent against post operative pain after caesarian section in the United Kingdom. We are currently undertaking a clinical trial in Sweden, using herbal cannabis - which is Schedule I - against treatment-resistant neuropathic pain.

The primary intention with drug control has never explicitly been to obstruct research, but this has for the past half century been a de facto legal side-effect. Several classical psychedelics, for example LSD and psilocybin, are Schedule I substances with promising therapeutic uses for a number of indications. There is emerging research suggesting that MDMA, another Schedule I substance, is effective in conjunction with psychotherapy against PTSD.

My lecture will not be focused on cannabis specifically, but rather on lessons learned during the planning and subsequently executing a clinical trial, in which the study drug is Schedule I. Even though national laws, even within the EU, are poorly harmonized, we hope that some of our experiences are useful for others, who are interested studying Schedule I substances in humans.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Kim Kuypers PhD Two psychedelics and their effects on flexible thinking and empathy Speaker: 17:15-18:00 Sat at Solliden Decades ago MDMA and LSD entered the therapeutic setting and already then showed their therapeutic potential in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Since thousands of years another psychedelic, ayahuasca, is being used by tribes in the western Amazonia for healing and divination, and in recent years its use has expanded worldwide. Research into the therapeutic potential of these substances has re-emerged and (preliminary) findings are promising. Depression and anxiety disorders are amongst the disorders of focus. Since both are characterized by cognitive rigidity and disturbed empathy our aim was to investigate whether psychedelics can change and improve this behavior acutely and with a longer

duration. To that end, we conducted a series of studies assessing the acute and longer term effects of ayahuasca and psilocybin on creative thinking and empathy in both a naturalistic and an experimental setting. Findings from these studies will be presented and compared to findings from another series of studies we have conducted into the effects of classical â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;stimulantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (cocaine, MDMA) and novel psychoactive substances (4-FA, 2C-E) on creative thinking and empathy. This will enable us to conclude whether classic psychedelics (psilocybin, ayahuasca) have a specific behavioral profile that differentiates them from other psychoactive substances, explaining their therapeutic potential.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Martin K. Madsen MD Psilocybin occupancy and modulation of serotonin 2A receptors: PET studies in humans. Speaker: 12:15-13:00 Sun at The Golden Hall Psilocybin occupancy and modulation of serotonin 2A receptors: PET studies in humans. Psilocybin shows promise as a treatment for depression Stimulation of serotonin 2A receptors (5-HT2ARs) by psilocybinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s active metabolite, psilocin, is important for acute effects, and long-term effects (e.g., changes in clinical symptoms or in personality) have been hypothesized to stem from changes in 5-HT2AR levels. We here report for the first time the relationship between psychedelic effects, cerebral 5-HT2AR occupancy and plasma levels of psilocin in healthy humans, and also effects of a single psilocybin dose on 5-HT2AR levels. Study 1: Eight volunteers underwent positron emission tomography (PET) scans with the 5-HT2AR agonist radioligand [11C]Cimbi-36: one at baseline and one or two additional scans on the same day after a single oral intake of psilocybin (330 mg). 5-HT2AR occupancy was calculated as the percent change in

cerebral 5-HT2AR binding relative to baseline. Subjective psychedelic intensity and plasma psilocin levels were measured during the scans. Relations between subjective intensity, 5-HT2AR occupancy, and plasma psilocin levels were modelled using non-linear regression. Study 2: 10 psychedelic-naĂŻve participants underwent baseline [11C]Cimbi-36 PET imaging at baseline and one week after psilocybin, and changes were assessed with a paired t-test. Study 1: Psilocybin intake resulted in dose-related 5-HT2AR occupancies up to 72%; subjective effects, plasma psilocin levels and 5-HT2AR occupancy were closely correlated. Study 2: 5-HT2AR levels were unchanged at follow-up. We report for the first time that in humans psychedelic effects of psilocybin correlate with blood psilocin levels and 5-HT2AR occupancy, and that changes in 5-HT2AR levels are unlikely to underlie long-term behavioral changes. 36

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Benjamin Mudge PhD(c) The Therapeutic Potential of Ayahuasca for People with Bipolar Disorder Speaker: 16:00-16:45 Sun at Solliden Although people with Bipolar Disorder have high suicidality and their treatment options are ineffective, Psychedelic Psychiatry is currently ignoring their needs and excluding them from research. Given the evidence indicating ayahuascaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efficacy for treating Depression, I question whether ayahuasca is safe and effective for treating Bipolar Disorder? There is valid concern that ayahuasca would worsen manic/ depressive symptoms in people with Bipolar Disorder, because many antidepressant pharmaceuticals and many psychedelics are known to do so. My qualitative research has indeed found numerous cases of Bipolar people going manic after ayahuasca ceremonies, but detailed analysis indicates that most of these are false negative results, and that the majority of Bipolar people have therapeutically-positive experiences with ayahuasca. I explain these different results by

deconstructing the set and setting of ayahuasca ceremonies, as well as deconstructing the tea itself. The crucial factor determining Bipolar peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response to ayahuasca is the cooking technique, because variations in cooking technique affect the ratios of the 4 psychoactive ingredients in ayahuasca, thereby affecting the balance of Bipolar brain chemistry. I have been collecting dozens of samples of ayahuasca tea, and correlating the subjective moodaltering effects of each sample with chromatographic quantification of their psychoactive ingredients.I have developed novel theories about the receptor binding times of 5-TH2AR agonists, the interaction of SRIs with DMT, fermentation, the CNS action of harmala alkaloids - all of which provide scientific explanations of my dogma-refuting qualitative evidence that ayahuasca can be a safe and effective psychedelic medicine for people with Bipolar Disorder

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

David Nichols PhD Psychedelics as Medicines Keynote Speaker: 9:00-10:00 Sun at The Golden Hall

Introduction: Looking back into the dim past, we now know that psychedelics were used by indigenous cultures for a variety of ritualistic and healing purposes. Unfortunately, after widespread recreational use during the 1960s and 1970s, psychedelics were placed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration into Schedule 1, the most restrictive category of drugs. This action, implemented by drug control agencies in the United States, directly led to similar drug controls worldwide. The scheduling included LSD, mescaline, psilocybin, DMT, and other substances that are agonists at the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor. Methods and Results. This talk will include brief introductory material about the historical sources of

psychedelics, information about the pharmacology of these substances, and will discuss important proof of concept studies using psilocybin to treat depression, anxiety, and addictions to alcohol and tobacco. In addition, administration of psychedelics to volunteers, coupled with modern brain imaging methods (EEG, fMRI) has given insight into how psychedelics change brain communication dynamics. Conclusions. If larger Phase 3 clinical studies now planned for the near future validate early Phase 2 studies, psychiatry will be confronted with a new paradigm for treatment of a variety of psychiatric illnesses. The landscape is changing very rapidly and psychiatry needs to be prepared to embrace these â&#x20AC;&#x153;newâ&#x20AC;? technologies

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Elizabeth Nielsen PhD Do No Harm by Omission: The Need for Psychedelic Integration in Clinical Settings Speaker: 11:20-12:05 Sun at The Golden Hall Psychedelic integration is the process of integrating psychedelic experiences into the larger fabric of one’s life with the intention of producing positive change. Depending somewhat on the setting of the psychedelic experience itself, integration may take place informally or formally, under the guidance of a shaman, therapist, counselor, or peer group, or entirely on one’s own. Integration may be considered in the short term, how one processes the first few hours or days after a psychedelic experience, or long term, as in how one translates the insights of a psychedelic experience into long-term change in addictive behavior. The recent revival of clinical research of the effectiveness of psychedelic assisted therapy for problems such as alcohol use disorder and post-traumatic

stress disorder has led to a flood of mainstream news articles and books such that the public is becoming every day more and more aware of the healing potential of psychedelics. With this interest comes increasing interest in discussing psychedelics and psychedelic experiences in clinical settings, and topic many therapists may not be prepared to broach. This presentation discusses the potential for above-ground therapists to offer integration in clinical settings, reduce psychedelicrelated harm, and treat adverse reactions including rationale, ethical considerations, and challenges. Data and examples from the authors’ clinical work at the Psychedelic Education and Continuing Care Program will be included. CO-author: Ingmar Gorman

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Tomas Palenicek MD, PhD Psilocybin´s effect on perception, cognition and brain activity – overview of the Czech study in healthy volunteers. Speaker: 11:20-12:05 Sun at Solliden Psilocybin is a tryptamine psychedelic with an agonist activity at serotonin 5-HT2A/C and 5-HT1A receptors. Its acute effects are characterized by changes in perception, emotions and cognitive processing. It can induce variety of states from ecstatic and blissful experience to psychotic-like and very anxious states. At the end, however, for most of the subjects the experience in a controlled environment induces positive long lasting effect on mood and wellbeing. In my talk I will summarize some of the results from our ongoing psilocybin trial in healthy volunteers. I will focus on the phenomenology in relation to the effects on the brain activity, sensory perception including perception of music, time, emotions and cognitive functions.

Co-authors: Peter Zach, Filip ˇ Tylš, Jirí Cestmír ˇ Horácek, ˇ Vejmola, Václava Piorecká, Anna Bravermanová, Jakub Korcák, ˇ Michaela Viktorinová, Vojtech ˇ Viktorin, Renata Androvicová, ˇ Vlastimil Koudelka, Martin Brunovský Acknowledgment: This work was supported by projects VI20172020056, ˇ 17GACR no.: 18-16218S, AZV CR 31852A, MH CZ—DRO (NIMH-CZ, 00023752), grant LO1611 from the MEYS CR under the NPU I program, PROGRES Q35 and 260388/SVV/2018.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Torsten Passie MD, PhD Neurophysiological and psychological mechanisms of Entactogens in psychotherapy Speaker: 14:00-14:45 Sun at The Golden Hall To learn more about the working mechanisms of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, the author conducted a qualitative study on patients undergoing such treatments. A psychological content analysis was applied to the semi-structured indepth interviews of the participants. Results show a range of different psychological processes at work with this therapeutic approach. Neuroimaging and other studies have shown that entactogens have specific

neurophysiological effects, which can specifically help the therapeutic work with traumatized people. Based on the study’s intended “view from inside”, i.e. the patients perspective, the lecture will give an overview of typical psychological effects and processes, their significance for psychotherapeutic work, and relate these to the entactogens’ neurophysiological effects.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Rodrigo PĂŠrez-Esparza MD Promises and concerns regarding novel-acting antidepressants: the example of ketamine Speaker: 10:10-10:55 Sat at Solliden Depression is a major cause of disability worldwide. Up to one third of the patients will not obtain benefits from current antidepressant strategies (which have a very similar mechanism of action). Recent advances in the understanding of depression and its therapeutics have led to the exploration of novel-acting antidepressants. On this regard, early preclinical and clinical evidence of typical and atypical psychedelics has found to provide potential answers to depression conundrums. Of relevance, they have been found to provide fast and robust symptom relief, quickly diminish suicidal ideation, and moreover, provide an

alternative for treatment-resistant depression. Amidst these molecules, ketamine has been of great interest and has currently more evidence supporting its antidepressant properties. In the midst of the possibility of a new era of psychiatric therapeutics, it may be enticing to skip ahead much needed research to rapidly exploit their benefits. However, major gaps of knowledge regarding their mechanisms of antidepressant action, dosage, frequency of administration, potential for misuse, and public acceptance or discouragement need to be discussed before their implementation.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Katrin Preller PhD How psychedelics can help us understand social cognition and selfexperience â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Neuroimaging studies of psilocybin- and LSD-induced states Speaker: 10:10-10:55 Sun at The Golden Hall Due to their unique effects on consciousness, psychedelics offer the opportunity to investigate the neuropharmacological mechanisms underlying alterations in perception and cognition important for increasing our understanding of psychiatric disorders. Furthermore, renewed interest in the potentially beneficial clinical effects of psychedelics warrants a better understanding of their underlying neuropharmacological mechanisms. However, major knowledge gaps remain regarding the neurobiology of psychedelics in humans.

networks and dis-integration of associative networks. Furthermore, we elucidate the neuropharmacology of self-relevance and meaning processing, as well as the intertwined relationship between self-processing and social cognition via the administration of LSD and psilocybin. Our results thus attenuate major knowledge-gaps regarding the neurobiology and neuropharmacology of psychedelics. Furthermore, they increase our mechanistic understanding of meaning processing and social cognition. Therefore, they offer important directions regarding the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of psychiatric illnesses characterized by transdiagnostic alterations in cognitive and emotional processes.

In our studies we show that LSD modulates brain connectivity and subjective effects via agonistic activity on the serotonin 2A receptor in humans. In particular, LSD-induced alteration in brain connectivity are characterized by a synchronization of sensory functional

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Stephen Ross MD Therapeutic use of classic psychedelics to treat cancerrelated psychiatric distress Speaker: 16:00-16:45 Sun at The Golden Hall Introduction: Cancer is one of the leading causes of global morbidity and mortality. Psychological and existential suffering is common in cancer patients, associated with poor psychiatric and medical outcomes. Promising early-phase clinical research (1960s to early 1970s) suggested a therapeutic signal for serotonergic psychedelics (e.g. psilocybin, LSD) in treating cancerrelated psychiatric distress. After several decades of quiescence, research on psychedelic-assisted therapy to treat psychiatric disorders in cancer patients has resumed within the last 2 decades in the US and Europe. Methods: This review article is based on a systematic search of clinical trials from 19602018 researching the therapeutic use of psychedelic treatment in patients with serious or terminal illnesses and related psychiatric illness. Results: The search found 10 eligible clinical trials with a total of 445 participants, with the vast majority

of the patients having advanced or terminal cancer diagnoses. Six open label trials, published between 1964 and 1980 (N=341), suggested that psychedelic therapy (mostly with LSD) may improve cancer-related depression, anxiety, and fear of death. 4 RCTs trials were published between 2011 and 2016 (N=104), mostly with psilocybin treatment (N=92), and demonstrated that psychedelic-assisted treatment can produce rapid, robust, and sustained improvements in cancerrelated psychological and existential distress. Conclusions: The availability of psilocybin-assisted therapy could provide a novel and revolutionary treatment model for patients with cancer-related psychological and existential distress in a number of ways including rapidity of therapeutic onset, sustained anxiolytic and antidepressant effects from single dosing, and providing an intervention for existential distress in terminal cancer.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Ben Sessa MD Child Abuse, Trauma, MDMA Therapy and The Future of Medicine Speaker: 10:10-10:55 Sun at Solliden In this lecture, Dr Sessa will describe the developmental roots of adult mental disorder and addictions as they arise from childhood trauma. He will discuss the relationship between a child’s fearful environment and the adaptive generation of posttrauma symptoms as a survival mechanism for the isolated child. He will describe how the difficulties in managing PTSD and trauma with current psychiatric practice, the scourge of psychiatric overprescribing and the inefficiencies of our current best psychotherapies, has lead him to embrace MDMA Therapy as psychiatry’s best new innovative approach to tackling mental disorder. Exploring the pharmacology of MDMA, he will

relate its psychological effects to its receptor profile and describe how MDMA is the ideal drug to assist trauma-focused psychotherapy for the stuck patient who is too traumatised to engage in traditional psychiatric approaches. Sessa will illustrate his talk with reference to the Bristol-based study currently underway exploring MDMA Therapy as a tool to overcome the notoriously difficult to treat condition of Alcohol Use Disorder. He will conclude with a focus on the global psychedelic renaissance and a call to arms for people everywhere to get involved with what is medicine and society’s most exciting new development of the last fifty years.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Eric Vermetten MD, PhD Increasing awareness for novel treatments for PTSD Speaker: 12:15-13:00 Sat at The Golden Hall

PTSD can happen to anyone and is not a sign of weakness. This presentation will focus on trauma and PTSD, symptomatology, biology and the ways how effectively this can be treated. Four decades of PTSD research will be summarized; it is a young disorder that started being properly understood only from 1980 with incorporation in DSM-III. Trauma-focused psychotherapies are still the most highly recommended type of treatment for PTSD. Targets are nightmares, intrusions, avoidance, hyperarousal and irritability, but guilt and shame can be drivers for

chronicity. Medication is mostly supportive to psychotherapy. While typically treated separately there are novel approaches to psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy, in particular the ones in which these are integrated, e.g. medication assisted psychotherapies. These will be discussed. MDMA is considered as a novel compound serving to assist in complex psychotrauma. The revival will be discussed with focus on promises and other novel breakthroughs. CO-author: Tijmen Bostoen.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Anne Wagner PhD, C.Psych MDMA + Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD and MDMA + Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Results and Developments Speaker: 14:50-15:35 Sun at The Golden Hall Introduction: With estimates of over 75% of people, and more in certain populations, being exposed to a traumatic stressor in their lifetimes, and of these, between 5 and 10% developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the need for effective treatments for PTSD and associated outcomes is clear. Methods and Results: The pilot study of MDMA+Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy (CBCT) for PTSD, which was conducted in Charleston, South Carolina, completed in the spring of 2018, with 6 couples going through the protocol. What did these couples look like at the end of

treatment and through follow-up? Now that the pilot is complete, what comes next? Conclusions: This presentation will give an overview of how this pilot study, as well as the next, MDMA+Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD to be conducted in Toronto, Canada, fit into the landscape of the use of MDMA in the treatment of PTSD, and will discuss how they can serve to answer questions, and create new ones, regarding MDMAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential as an adjunct to psychotherapy.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Rosalind Watts DClinPsy The Hexaflex as an adjunct to psychedelic therapy Speaker: 14:00-14:40 Sat at The Golden Hall

Objective: Previous research (Watts et al. 2016) suggests that psilocybin increases psychological flexibility (acceptance of emotion, connection to self, others and world) in depressed patients for 2-3 months. Therapeutic tools to help patients maintain these benefits long-term have not yet been developed. Here we evaluate whether the ‘Hexaflex’ tool, used in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to increase psychological flexibility, might be used as an adjunct to psilocybin treatment. Method: Participant accounts of the change mechanisms of

psilocybin therapy (Watts et al. 2016) were analysed according to the six therapeutic processes of the Hexaflex. Results: Participant perspectives on the therapeutic mechanisms of psilocybin were found to support the use of the Hexaflex as a tool to help maintain these benefits. The Hexaflex was adapted; collapsing the six processes into two main factors: ‘acceptance’ and ‘connectedness’. Conclusions: The Hexaflex, and the ACT model more generally, are complementary to psilocybin treatment for depression.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Poster Presentations To speak with the poster presenters, please join the Poster Session in The Lounge at 19.00 Saturday evening.

OSKAR JEFSEN Aarhus University: Psilocybin-induced genes and proteins related to synaptic plasticity’

RICHARD ZEIFMAN Ryerson University: Exploring the Case for Augmenting Evidence-Based Interventions for Borderline Personality Disorder with Psychedelics

DANIEL BURMESTER University of Copenhagen: What is the relation between mood and brain 5-HT2AR levels?

MELKER HAGSÄTER Gothenburg University: Acute anxiolytic effects of escitalopram when co-administrated with 5-HT1A or 5-HT2A receptor antagonists

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Poster Presentations KELAN THOMAS Touro University California: Psilocybin and Potential Psychiatric Drug-Drug Interactions.

SAMUEL KOHTALA University of Helsinki: Nitrous oxide (N2O, “laughing gas”) exposure evokes rebound slow EEG oscillations and molecular changes linked to rapid antidepressant action in mice. HANNES KETTNER Imperial College London: Psychedelics in context: Psychological, social, and environmental factors in guided group experiences. ENZO TAGGLIAZUCCHI Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière: From molecules to consciousness: towards an integrative neuroscience of psychedelics.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

THE GROWTH AND EXPANSION OF HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS IS THE KEY TO A BETTER SOCIETY.

Viriditas Foundation Viriditas Foundation was founded in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2017 by playwright, director and psychotherapist Ă&#x2026;sa Olsson in collaboration with current fellow board members Jonas Pettersson, clinical psychologist and musician, and David Ă&#x2013;sterberg, psychotherapist and sound designer/composer. Viriditas foundation is an initiative that seeks to support the understanding, evolution and expansion of consciousness. The intention is to function as a catalyst for projects in the arts, sciences and humanities, which stimulate spiritual and social growth whilst promoting a sustainable and desirable future from a holistic perspective.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

Founded in 1986,by Rick Doblin. The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics and marijuana. Main missions include: Developing psychedelics and marijuana into prescription medicines. Training therapists and working to establish a network of treatment centers. Supporting scientific research into spirituality, creativity, and neuroscience. Educating the public honestly about the risks and benefits of psychedelics and marijuana.

The Beckley foundation is a UK-based think-tank and NGO founded and directed by Amanda Feilding. Its purpose is to pioneer psychedelic research and drive evidence-based drug policy reform. Since its creation by Amanda Feilding in 1998, it has been at the forefront of global drug policy reform and scientific research into psychoactive substances. The Beckley Foundation collaborate with leading scientific and political institutions worldwide to design and develop ground-breaking research and global policy initiatives.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

The Riverstyx Foundation works to provide a bridge to the relinquished parts of ourselves, our society, and our ecology, to ease those fears and prejudices by funding projects that demonstrate the potential for healing and beauty, when life is embraced in its fullest expression. Since 2008, RSF has identified the class of compounds known as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;psychedelicsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as among the most promising tools for reinstilling access to these vital and often relinquished parts of our psychic lives. RSF works with preference to early-stage projects with the potential to deliver innovative models, tools, and policy of social transformation.

The OPEN Foundation is an independent not-for-profit NGO, based in the Netherlands. OPEN was founded in 2007 with the primary goal to stimulate academic research into therapeutic applications of psychedelics. OPEN is currently building an international platform for the training, education and supervision of mental health care professionals working with psychedelic substances, in collaboration with leading experts and organisations in the field. In addition, it regularly organize dedicated expert meetings as well as the recurring Interdisciplinary Conference on Psychedelic Research, all focused on high quality science.

COLLOQUIUM ON PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHIATRY 2018 Stockholm | Sweden

H E F F T E R

R E S E A RC H I N ST I T UT E

The Heffter Research Institute was incorporated in New Mexico in 1993 as a non-profit, 501(c)(3) scientific organization. Since its inception, Heffter has been helping to design, review, and fund the leading studies on psilocybin at prominent research institutions in the US and Europe. The research has explored psilocybin for the treatment of cancer-related distress and addiction, for understanding the relationship between the psychedelic experience and spirituality, and for basic science research into the physiology of brain activity, cognition, and behavior. The Heffter Institute believes that psychedelics have great, unexplored potential that requires independently funded scientific research to find their best uses in medical treatment.

The Psyty Research Association (Psyty) Association is a multidisciplinary association founded in December 2016 with the aim of promoting scientific research on psychedelics and access to popular, research-based information.Psyty aims to promote research related to psychedelics in Finland, to bring together experts interested in the subject and to promote cooperation with the international research community. To increase expertise, Psyty organizes lecture and networking events, for example.