Can MDMA-Assisted Therapy Repair our Epigenetics with Dr. Candace Lewis PhD
October 17, 2023 · 53 min
Why listen
A researcher explains how MDMA-assisted therapy may change gene regulation and help heal trauma at a biological level.
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In this episode
- How early-life stress shapes addiction vulnerability through epigenetic changes
- What a pilot MDMA-PTSD study found about DNA methylation and treatment response
- Why distinguishing between drug classes matters for understanding therapeutic potential
- How ongoing psychedelic research may offer tools against cognitive decline
About this episode
What is the Mind-Body Connection? In this episode, Dr. Candace Lewis PhD guides us through the intriguing intersections of stress, trauma, epigenetics, and mental health. Beginning her research in an addiction lab, she explored early-life stress and its impact on addiction vulnerability. Her deepening interest in epigenetics led her to delve into how traumatic experiences can alter gene regulation in the brain, laying the foundation for her exploration of psychedelics and their potential for healing. Candice stresses the importance of distinguishing between drug classes, with a focus on the therapeutic potential of psychedelics that can induce positive behavioral changes. Her pivotal research includes a pilot study on MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD, suggesting DNA methylation changes may contribute to treatment responses. The conversation extends to redefining trauma, the role of genetics and epigenetics in mental health, and the intriguing link between psychology, the brain, and the body. Candice also highlights ongoing studies on psychedelics, cognitive abilities and epigenetics, offering hope for cognitive decline prevention. Her lab initiatives encompass a social media drug education project and the Translational Research in Psychedelics (TRIP) team, both aimed at raising awareness and fostering informed discussions.https://TheBearLab.org/
@the_bear_lab
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About The Psychedelic Report
Dr. Dave Rabin MD, PhD, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist trained in Ketamine and MDMA-assisted therapy, brings you the newest developments from the world of psychedelic science and technology. From researchers and investors to physicians and shamans to nonprofit pioneers and policy-makers — each week, Dr.
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