Curious Minds: From Childhood to Psychedelics

Long-standing in Psychology, the Colavita effect suggests that when given a choice between what they see and what they hear, adults pick what they see. The opposite is true with children. But how does this apply to emotion recognition? If children are presented with a person moving in a happy way, but sounding scared, how will children think that person is feeling? And is this different to how adults might think they’re feeling? In this talk I’ll outline what we found and what it might mean for education, communication, and how we might reduce the effect of stressful situations on children.

Why are psychedlics exciting in neuroscience and psychiatry? I will explore how substances like pstiocybin, LSD, ketamine, and MDMA alter brain function, including perception and cognition, and their therapeutic potential for conditions such as depression and PTSD. These drugs may primarily act through neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to reoorganise itself. Understand their mechanisms has profound implications for clinical practice, drug policy and our overall understanding of the brain.