Journeying to Ixtlan: Ethics of Psychedelic Medicine and Research for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias.
Andrew Peterson, Emily A Largent, Holly Fernandez Lynch, Jason Karlawish, Dominic Sisti
AJOB Neuroscience 2023 DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2022.2148771 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Alzheimer’s disease Dementia Drug use Psychoactive drugs |
| Citations | 42 |
| Key points | Proposes that ethical issues surrounding psychedelic medicine are magnified for persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias but carry broader relevance. |
Abstract
In this paper, we examine the case of psychedelic medicine for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD). These "mind-altering" drugs are not currently offered as treatments to persons with AD/ADRD, though there is growing interest in their use to treat underlying causes and associated psychiatric symptoms. We present a research agenda for examining the ethics of psychedelic medicine and research involving persons living with AD/ADRD, and offer preliminary analyses of six ethical issues: the impact of psychedelics on autonomy and consent; the impact of "ego dissolution" on persons experiencing a pathology of self; how psychedelics might impact caregiving; the potential exploitation of patient desperation; institutional review boards' orientation to psychedelic research; and methods to mitigate inequity. These ethical issues are magnified for AD/ADRD but bear broader relevance to psychedelic medicine and research in other clinical populations.