I’m Losing Control! Help!!

First thing first, what I want in a pub is those teeny chemicals tickling my brain receptors and messing with the ways my neurons talk together, and last thing; is a neuroscientist boring me about the processes involved. Short-term potentiation (STP) is a form of neural chatter that is likely involved in working memory, the type of memory that you use to recall where you have placed your keys, your mobile phone or parked your car. I’ll explain, after a pint or two, how some drugs affect STP, suggesting that distortion of working memory alters our senses and triggers psychedelic experiences.

Depression is a common mental illness, with up to 1 in 6 people experiencing symptoms of depression within the last week. Although conventional treatments such as antidepressants work for many, nearly one third of people go on to develop long-term or chronic depression. In this talk we will look at how technology may be used to help treat chronic depression. We focus on two different approaches currently being researched within QMUL. The first assesses the use of tablets and mobile phones to deliver a solution-focused therapy and the second uses virtual reality-based group therapy.