Episode 33 - James Close - Pain and psychedelics

James Close discusses the potential role that psychedelics may play in the future for people suffering with persistent pain. He gives a brief history of the development of psychedelics and how they have been used to help heal. He talks about the  mechanisms of action, up regulation of genes associated with plasticity and behavioural influences, that give hope to a pharmacologically-assisted therapeutic approach for people with chronic pain.  James recommended two books as further reading: - How to change your mind, Michael Pollan - Psychedelics, Prof. David Nutt James Close is a pain specialist physiotherapist and PhD student at Imperial College London where he is exploring the potential for psychedelic-assisted therapy for people in pain.