Brain Sparks: Psychedelics, Stimulation and Dreams

Have you ever known someone with a mental health condition? Therapy (Psychiatry 1.0) and medication (Psychiatry 2.0) are common treatments—but what if we could directly tune the brain itself? Welcome to Psychiatry 3.0: precision brain stimulation. By mapping brain activity with scans, we can target and correct faulty brain networks, offering a new, personalized approach to mental health care.

Psychedelics are making a comeback, but what happens if they are used during pregnancy? My research reveals that LSD activates the brain’s “gatekeeper,” the choroid plexus, altering how the brain forms and functions. These changes may impact brain wiring, behavior, and thinking later in life. As psychedelic use rises, understanding these risks is more important than ever.

Millions struggle with mental health, yet many treatments fall short. We are exploring a new approach: using anesthesia to trigger transformative dreams. Early research suggests these dreams may ease post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. By studying brain activity during these states, we hope to develop innovative treatments that could reshape mental health care.