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LSD Treatments for Alzheimer’s Ramps Up with New Research from the Beckley Foundation
Could psychedelics hold the key to solving the Alzheimer epidemic?
The requirement for the much-needed boost in the use of LSD for medicinal reasons has always been increase in clinical research and it seems that’s about to improve. Recent news that LSD research for Alzheimer’s was about to kickstart through the Beckley Foundation is certainly being welcomed fully. There are certainly still some kinks and nuts to work out before we can see the effect come to light but it’s a good place to start. Read on as we shed light on the important things to consider as the studies are set to commence as soon as possible.
Beckley Foundation and LSD Studies
The founder of the foundation, Amanda Feilding has recently announced that the organization is set to begin a special research program for LSD. For those in the world of psychedelics and are conversant with the Beckley Foundation, its recent announcement would not have come as a surprise. The new research program will be in collaboration with King’s College London and UCL. The basis of the research program will be centred on the effects of the full dose of LSD on the brain. Another breakout study that the foundation will be taking on is the effects of microdosing LSD for Alzheimer’s disease. It’s reported that this study will be carried out with the University of Basel.
Since its creation in 1998, the Beckley Foundation has been at the forefront of global drug policy reforms and research on psychoactive substances. This has given the foundation a wide reach as an UN-accredited NGO gradually pushing for reform policies and backing it up with different streams of clinical research. The new set of studies on LSD is set to follow in that light of quality studies being embarked on by the foundation to advocate for policy reforms and harness the benefits of these psychoactive substances.
Research on the Effects of LSD
The first study by the firm will see to understand the full scope of the effects of LSD on the brain and the concurrent changes that ensue. Many have characterized this as a mystical experience and this is what the initial study will seek to explore. This will serve as the basis for understanding and promoting the growth of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Exploration of the profound sense of connection the user feels in relation to the brain changes seen can very well be the solution to previous inquiries.
This novel study can also break the walls of what is known and what is not known in the neurobiology of consciousness. This makes the collaboration between Fielding and the neuroimaging expert of King’s College London and UCL very cogent and timely. The latest neuroimaging technology is set to be used by the researchers in the analysis. It is therefore expected that every important detail will be monitored thoroughly and expatiated fully. Therefore, there is no doubt significant brain changes that could be inspirational to understanding the effects of LSD on the brain will be identified and understood.
Research on Effects of Microdosing LSD for Alzheimer’s Disease
Physicians from the University of Basel are set to collaborate with Fielding on the second novel study embarked upon by the Beckley Foundation. The study is set to examine the therapeutic effects of microdosing LSD for the treatment of some symptoms in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The major symptoms of focus are apathy and depression which is common with patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of neurodegenerative conditions. The research is bound to be monumental as its findings could serve as the basis for other concurrent studies on the subject matter.
A less pronounced third study is also being carried out by the Beckley Foundation in conjunction with Cornell University. The basis of the research is centred on understanding how LSD affects blood circulation in the body and also the influence of neurons on this circulation. The research is set to be done using advanced optical imaging which is expected to give a great deal of precision and accuracy to the expected results. The combination of these three projects shows a multi-armed research project being put forward by the Beckley foundation while maximizing the latest benefits of improved neuroimaging technologies.
Amanda Fielding – A Voice For Psychedelics
We stated earlier that those who are conversant with the world of psychedelics already know who Amanda Fielding is and what the Beckley Foundation stands for. Well, for those who do not know Fielding is commonly referred to as the “Queen of Psychedelics”. She did not just come about this name by accident, it is a product of much work in the world of psychedelic research. She was just recently given the Science Pioneer Award for Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization. This award is significant because it is the first time the award is given to a leading psychedelic researcher.
Feilding has coauthored several peer-reviewed studies on psychedelics and has also been in the company of quality psychedelic pioneers. With names like Albert Hofmann, Terrence McKenna, Sash and Ann Shulgin and many others as thought partners, it is no wonder she has gotten such accolades. Under her leadership, the foundation has collaborated with top scientists and institutions across the world on different types of psychoactive substances. The list of her research projects is long which includes assessing the effects of cannabis, LSD, ayahuasca, psilocybin, DMT, and MDMA.
Bottom line
Fielding and Beckley Foundation are not holding back on their moves for the studies on LSD and in no time, extensive works of research will begin and results will troop in. Many are anticipating favourable results from these studies as they could mean a new lifeline for patients living with Alzheimer’s disease. This could see us harnessing the medicinal benefits of LSD either at its full dose or through microdosing. More research on LSD is also expected to follow through after this set of studies and this can only be good news for those who see the potential of LSD.