Balazs Szigeti: Unblinding Effects in Psychedelic Research

Balazs Szigeti: Unblinding Effects in Psychedelic Research

For the third time, Joe and Rolf talk to Dr. Balazs Szigeti about psychedelics for the treatment of depression. This time, Balazs discusses his recent paper that shows an equivalence between psychedelics and traditional medications in effectiveness for treating depression. This is surprising, given the size of effects that have been demonstrated in some early psychedelic trials, and can be accounted for, in part, by patient expectations. Williams ZJ, Barnett H, Szigeti B. Psychedelic Therapy vs Antidepressants for the Treatment of Depression Under Equal Unblinding Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Psychiatry. Published online March 18, 2026. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2025.4809

Dr. Valerie Bonnelle: The autonomic nervous system and peak experience

On this episode, Rolf and Joe talk to Dr. Valerie Bonnelle, a cognitive neuroscientist interested in the relation of processes in the body to peak experiences. We discuss her paper showing how heart rate variability and the interplay between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems closely tracks phenomenological experience during the use of the psychedelic DMT. Bonnelle, V., Feilding, A., Rosas, F. E., Nutt, D. J., Carhart-Harris, R. L., & Timmermann, C. (2024). Autonomic nervous system activity correlates with peak experiences induced by DMT and predicts increases in well-being. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 38(10), 887-896.

Dr. Bradley Cooke: The National Institutes of Health

What do the National Institutes of Health (NIH) do, and who works there? Rolf and Joe talk to Dr. Bradley Cooke [https://www.niddk.nih.gov/about-niddk/staff-directory/biography/cooke-brad], who works at the NIH as a Program Director in the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases (located within the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases). Dr. Cooke talks about the research he conducted when he was in the academic world, including work on the biology of attraction and sex differences in the brain, and then discusses how the NIH monitors and guides the national research agenda, some of the essential and groundbreaking research the NIH has funded, as well as exciting research trends coming our way.

Compass Pathway's Dr. Steve Levine

Fresh from Psychedelic Science 2025, Dr. Steve Levine, the chief patient officer at Compass Pathways, talks to us about new Phase 3 results for psilocybin in treating depression.

Psychedelic Science 2025

Joe reports back from the Psychedelic Science conference held recently again in Denver, Colorado. After some discussion about the conference, Joe speaks with Balasz Szigeti (who was on the podcast in 2023) about his recent work on the "Placebo Suppression Effect" in psychedelic research.