What’s stopping psychedelic therapy in China? Medical ethicist Jennifer Docherty discusses her interviews about psychedelic end-of-life care with clinicians in Hong Kong in this week's 5 Questions on The Microdose. Read now: https://bit.ly/4ghL8ur

Join the Institute of Personality and Social Research (IPSR) Colloquium at @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social on Aug 26, 2026 as Dr. Gül Dölen discusses how psychedelics may be a "master key" to reopen critical periods in the brain. This event is free and open to the public. https://bit.ly/4gka436

Gül Dölen | Psychedelic Mediated Reopening of Critical Periods: Basic Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities

Institute of Personality and Social Research Colloquium Psychedelics are a broad category of compounds that induce altered states of consciousness...

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How can psychedelics help us understand consciousness? Join us October 14–15 at @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social for States of Consciousness, a BCSP conference exploring the intersection of the mind, consciousness, and psychedelics. Secure your spot! Register by Sept 1, 2026: https://bit.ly/4xgy7Hu

Headlines in psychedelics this week: –Veterans Affairs continues to drive federal psychedelics push –Resilient Pharmaceuticals tries again for MDMA approval –What's new in the latest FDA guidelines on psychedelics Get more of the latest news on The Microdose: https://bit.ly/4wyjyhl

Veterans Affairs continues to drive federal psychedelics push; New FDA guidance; and Resilient Pharmaceuticals tries again for MDMA approval

Plus: Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly makes a psychedelics acquisition; Cardiovascular safety is top of mind for psychedelics researchers

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This year, @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social joined a network of institutions improving the lives of older adults. The BCSP's PLASTICITY study is a prime example of innovative research that could benefit adults as they age. Read more on The Daily Californian: https://bit.ly/4qbmrTC

This should be good: Michael Pollan & Christof Koch: A Journey into Consciousness | Cal Performances calperformances.org/events/2026-...

Michael Pollan & Christof Koch: A Journey into Consciousness | Cal Performances

Author Michael Pollan returns for a discussion on the most intriguing questions at the intersection of psychedelics and consciousness.

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Tickets on sale now! @michaelpollan.bsky.social and Christof Koch on the intersection of consciousness and psychedelics. October 13 at Zellerbach Hall, co-presented with Cal Performances. https://calperformances.org/events/2026-27/speakers/michael-pollan-christof-koch-a-journey-into-consciousness/

Michael Pollan & Christof Koch: A Journey into Consciousness | Cal Performances

Author Michael Pollan returns for a discussion on the most intriguing questions at the intersection of psychedelics and consciousness.

calperformances.org

Why don’t some people respond to psychedelics? On The Microdose, psychologist Rachel Ham discusses doing interviews with clinical trial participants who didn’t experience substantial benefits: https://bit.ly/4czkACn

Why don't some people respond to psychedelics? 5 Questions for psychologist Rachel Ham

Ham discusses doing interviews with clinical trial participants who didn't experience substantial benefits.

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Psychiatric trials focus on symptom reduction, but patients prioritize meaning, vitality, and functioning. In @natmentalhealth.nature.com, BCSP’s Tyrone Sgambati and Dacher Keltner argue to elevate well-being to a primary endpoint. https://www.nature.com/articles/s44184-026-00234-1

Journalist @matthabusby.bsky.social embedded with combat sports fighters for a first-of-its-kind study. Supported by the Ferriss–UC Berkeley Psychedelic Journalism Fellowship. Full story in Men's Health ⬇️ 📸: Edinson Arroyo https://www.menshealth.com/health/a73195268/psychedelic-ayahusaca-mma-tbi/

We're really excited for this event with @michaelpollan.bsky.social on October 13th. Tickets go on sale August 11th to the general public - mark your calendars! https://calperformances.org/events/2026-27/speakers/michael-pollan-christof-koch-a-journey-into-consciousness/

Michael Pollan & Christof Koch: A Journey into Consciousness | Cal Performances

Author Michael Pollan returns for a discussion on the most intriguing questions at the intersection of psychedelics and consciousness.

calperformances.org

The psychedelic toad milkers: guest writer Kimon de Greef follows toad poachers across the Sonoran Desert. Read more on The Microdose: https://bit.ly/4wGootI

Animal models have shown that a single dose of psilocybin triggers rapid, lasting neuroplasticity. We are using advanced MRI to measure proxies of these changes in brain structure in older adults. Q&A with the researchers https://psychedelics.berkeley.edu/can-psilocybin-promote-successful-aging/

From “just say no” to just say nothing: Harm reduction educator Rhana Hashemi discusses her approach to drug education and what students want to know about psychedelics. Read the latest 5 Questions on The Microdose: https://bit.ly/4fXkc2F

From “just say no” to just say nothing: 5 Questions for harm reduction educator Rhana Hashemi

Hashemi discusses her approach to drug education and what students want to know about psychedelics.

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Join us for States of Consciousness (Oct. 14-15, 2026), a conference at @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social exploring consciousness through the lens of psychedelics. Register by Aug. 6 to save with early bird pricing: https://psychedelics.berkeley.edu/soc-conference/

What a lost manuscript reveals about peyote in the 17th century. Philosopher Osiris Sinuhé González Romero discusses with The Microdose: https://bit.ly/4pxh2Wt

A lost peyote document from 1619: 5 Questions for philosopher Osiris Sinuhé González Romero

Romero discusses what a recently discovered manuscript reveals about peyote in the 17th century.

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What a lost manuscript reveals about peyote in the 17th century. The Microdose speaks with philosopher Osiris Sinuhé González Romero in this week's 5 Questions: https://bit.ly/4pxh2Wt

A lost peyote document from 1619: 5 Questions for philosopher Osiris Sinuhé González Romero

Romero discusses what a recently discovered manuscript reveals about peyote in the 17th century.

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Do people hear voices when they take ayahuasca? Social anthropologist David Dupuis discusses how auditory hallucinations during psychedelic trips have been overlooked with @shaylalove.bsky.social on The Microdose: https://bit.ly/4wJVKYo

Do people hear voices when they take ayahuasca? 5 Questions with social anthropologist David Dupuis

Dupuis discusses how auditory hallucinations during psychedelic trips have been overlooked.

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Headlines in psychedelics this week: –Big changes ahead for Oregon’s psilocybin agency –New bill seeks to turn Trump’s psychedelics executive order into permanent law –Compass Pathways announces new Phase 3 results Read more on The Microdose: https://bit.ly/4aM2vjO

Big changes ahead for Oregon’s psilocybin agency, New bill seeks to turn Trump’s psychedelics executive order into permanent law

Plus: Compass Pathways announces new Phase 3 results, and Lawsuit against LSD company Definium is dismissed

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🎥 The Mycoskie - UC Berkeley Psychedelic Documentary Fellowship is now accepting applications. 🗓️ Deadline: October 5, 2026 👉 Head to the link in our bio 🔗 or visit fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/mycoskie to submit your application.

The BCSP’s new research aims to determine if psilocybin can promote successful aging. BCSP Faculty Director Michael Silver and PhD candidate Tyler Toueg answer more questions about the study at https://psychedelics.berkeley.edu/can-psilocybin-promote-successful-aging/

Filmmaker April Fan discusses her feature documentary about wild mushroom foragers in Yunnan and what she discovered about place and belonging. Read the latest 5 Questions on The Microdose: https://bit.ly/4vgbxNc

Do psychedelics create false memories? Psychologist Samuli Kangaslampi discusses the need to study autobiographical memories that may emerge during trips. Read 5 Questions on The Microdose: https://bit.ly/4wf8Dt5

–Definium releases LSD for depression Phase 3 results –CO activists fight recent bill’s amendments to sharing psychedelics –Survey suggests most veterans support VA-funded psychedelic-assisted therapy The Microdose shares the latest news in psychedelics: https://bit.ly/4v03dB4

Definium releases LSD for depression Phase 3 results and Colorado activists fight recent bill’s amendments to sharing psychedelics

Plus: Survey suggests most veterans support VA-funded psychedelic-assisted therapy, and psychedelic research funding bills and a move towards psilocybin legalization in Canada

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Headlines in psychedelics last week: –Is the boom in toad-derived 5-MeO-DMT built on a false history? –Colorado’s new law lays groundwork for ibogaine access –Personality traits may shape intensity of psychedelic sensory experiences Read more on The Microdose: https://bit.ly/4xEbnBK

37% U.S. voters say that psychedelics are safe to use…in a supervised setting. The latest UC Berkeley Psychedelics Survey tells us about the stigma and perceptions of safety surrounding psychedelics today. Read Tyrone’s 5 top takeaways: https://bit.ly/42NC6O8

In what cases do U.S.voters think psychedelics are most useful? And who do they think should have access? We share the answers to these questions in our latest @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social Survey. To find out more, visit https://bit.ly/42NC6O8

The Microdose takes a deep dive into the history of Psilocybe cubensis, arguably the most widely used psychedelic mushroom in the world, first collected and given a scientific Latin name in Cuba in 1906. Read the article: https://bit.ly/4viUECC

A case report testing psilocybin for advanced Alzheimer’s disease, plus an Amanita mushroom poisoning outbreak in California. This news and more on This Week in Psychedelics on The Microdose: https://bit.ly/43zSvGl

An Amanita mushroom poisoning outbreak in California; A case report testing psilocybin for advanced Alzheimer’s disease

Plus: Scientists assess risk of psychedelic-induced mania; and the close of this season’s psychedelic legislation push

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The research Michael Silver and his lab are doing at @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social not only has the potential to help us better understand the human mind and consciousness, but also to transform the treatment of certain mental illnesses. In this video, he explains in 101 seconds: