EP. 58: YOUR BRAIN ON DEPRESSION: DR. JOHN KRYSTAL ON ANTIDEPRESSANTS, PSYCHEDELICS, AND KETAMINE THERAPY

Bounce! Conversations with Larry Weeks

On this podcast, we're going to talk about Brain Chemistry, specifically, what happens in our brains when we are traumatized, severely depressed, or anxious. And for those stuck in that state, what are the latest clinical treatments using medication, that can help someone get unstuck.

My guest on this episode is the distinguished Dr. John Krystal MD. Dr. Krystal is the Professor of Psychiatry, Neuroscience, and Psychology; Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University; and Chief of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Dr. Krystal is a leading expert in the areas of alcoholism, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and depression. His work links psychopharmacology, neuroimaging, molecular genetics, and computational neuroscience to study the neurobiology and treatment of these disorders. He is best known for leading the discovery of the rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine in depressed patients.

He is the co-founder and Chief Scientific Advisor of Freedom Biosciences, a clinical-stage biotechnology platform developing next-generation ketamine and psychedelic therapeutics that recently emerged from stealth in August 2022.

On this show, we cover topics that include ...

• The neurobiology of a depressed brain
• The relationship between thought and brain chemistry
• Anxiety and its connection to depression
• Pharmacology; getting into the various medications for treating depression.
• How antidepressants were discovered
• The efficacy of current antidepressants
• The neuroscience of psychedelics in the treatment of severe depression and PTSD
• Ketamine therapy; benefits, risks, and treatment protocols (the different delivery mechanisms, dosages, etc.)

Since we do talk about substances like ketamine which has psychedelic-like properties, here is a disclaimer: I'm NOT a doctor, nor do I play one on the interwebs. None of the content in this podcast constitutes medical advice or should be construed as a recommendation to use any medications mentioned. There are psychological, physical, and sometimes legal risks with usage. Please consult your doctor before considering anything we discuss in this episode.

All right, that all said, here is more information for you to consider.

Enjoy!

Much more For show notes and more, visit www.larryweeks.com