Learn what psychoneuroimmunology is from Attila Szabo

With 20 years of experience under his belt, Dr Attila Szabo is the perfect person to tell us what “psychoneuroimmunology” is – and why you should learn what the heck it means.

Dissect the word, and you get: 1) psychology, 2) psychiatry, 3) immunology and 4) experimental neuroscience.

Looking at the body, it’s the intersection of the immune-related signalling process and mental states. How our immune system can influence our thinking, and how our central nervous system can alter immune functioning.

What does this have to do with psychedelics? A lot. Serotonin (5-HT2a) receptors and sigma-1 receptors are present in immune cells – and are influenced by psychedelics.

5-MeO-DMT influences the immune system. The effects are not correlated with mental health changes.

Szabo shares: “So far, I’ve done chiefly so-called preclinical research, including human in vitro and animal in vivo studies. In an observational study with 11 participants, we found that 5-MeO-DMT elicited a consistent pattern of effects relating to immune functions, specifically a potent anti-inflammatory modulation.”

“These findings point toward the potential role of 5-MeO-DMT in treating inflammatory, autoimmune, and some neuropsychiatric disorders. As we know, these disorders all share one commonality: they have a (neuro)inflammatory component.”

These amazing findings point toward a whole new area where psychedelics can be helpful.

But that is about all that we know. Psychoneuroimmunology is a field ripe for the picking.

Although some other people (e.g. Charles Nichols at Eleusis) are studying psychedelics and immunity, Szabo thinks that just 1% of the efforts are going in this direction.

“One thing we do know about psychedelics is that they are very effective in treating certain psychiatric disorders. Still, people tend to forget that we need to understand the underlying physiological mechanisms through which these substances exert their effects.”

“In the long run, understanding these mechanisms is particularly important to design “new generation” psychedelics that are even more effective than the ones currently available. Understanding the underlying biological principles will be paramount to developing these molecules and helping patients get the treatment they need.”

If you’re looking for a blue ocean where you can leave your mark, psychoneuroimmunology may be it.

Read the full interview with Dr Atilla Szabo.