Ensuring the Future of Psychedelic Science

Psychedelic science and the lasting legacy of Alexander and Ann Shulgin are explored in a collaborative panel featuring neuroscientist Dr. Gül Dölen and science journalist Hamilton Morris, moderated by SSDP's Finn McGuinness. The discussion critiques over-simplistic reductionist models, such as relying purely on fMRI brain imaging or single-receptor binding affinities to explain complex psychedelic effects. Dölen elaborates on her research showing how psychedelic substances reopen neuroplastic critical periods in the brain, arguing that the duration and outcome of these therapeutic windows depend heavily on the surrounding learning environment and therapeutic context rather than pharmacology alone. Regulatory and financial barriers continue to stifle foundational research. Morris highlights how recent DEA scheduling proposals for research chemicals like DOI create severe bureaucratic hurdles for neuroscientists, while Dölen stresses the urgent need for increased public funding to sustain both basic scientific discovery and clinical trials.