Psychedelics and Empathy: Understanding MDMA's Role in Social Behavior and Mental Health Treatment

Explore a 19-minute scientific talk where Stanford's Dr. Robert Malenka, Nancy Friend Pritzker Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Deputy Director of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, discusses the renewed scientific interest in psychedelic compounds for mental health treatment. Discover how researchers are investigating MDMA, psilocybin, and LSD for treating depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Learn about Malenka's pioneering work since the 1980s on brain circuit plasticity, reward circuitry, and social behavior, including groundbreaking research on MDMA's effects on the brain. Gain insights into the NeuroChoice Initiative's interdisciplinary approach to understanding human decision-making and addiction science, while exploring the latest developments in psychedelic medicine research at Stanford's Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute.