What happens to an octopus on MDMA?

Psychedelics have a unique capacity to open up the mind so that everything feels fresh and full of possibilities. Especially as you get older, it can be easy to get stuck in a rut — but under a psychedelic, the brain can become more plastic. This time period, though, is limited - it might last just a few days, or a few weeks. So it’s really important to understand this “critical period” when our minds are so open — and also so vulnerable.

Pallas (healing power) sextile Psyche (insight, psychic impressionability, psychological recovery, the state of your “mental health, head wounds, brain states) 

These “critical periods” are what Gul Dolen has been studying for years. She’s a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins who's done groundbreaking investigations of the “critical periods” of psychedelics, including studies where she's given MDMA — also known as “Molly” — to octopuses.

She’s also challenging a lot of the scientific work that’s been done on psychedelics. She has serious doubts about the value of neuroimaging, or even a concept like the “default mode network.” If you heard our last Luminous episode on the neuroscience of psychedelics, you’ll want to listen to this interview.

Source: youtube.com/