Norrsken Mind has previously co-funded an epidemiological research program at Karolinska Institutet led by Otto Simonsson, PhD, and Walter Osika, MD and Associate professor in clinical neuroscience, investigating the link between psychedelic use and physical health. In a new project, the research team will investigate the genetic and environmental contributions to psychiatric risks and benefits of psychedelic use in vulnerable populations.

Although research into the therapeutic effects of psychedelics on mental health has increased over the past decades, there is still a limited understanding of how genetic and environmental factors might influence potential risks and benefits associated with psychedelic use.

Individuals with a family history of certain forms of mental illness are often excluded from participating in clinical trials using psychedelics, partly due to concerns related to psychotic or manic episodes following psychedelic use. It has therefore been deemed ethically unfeasible to include such populations in trials.

In this project, the research team will analyze data on psychedelic use, genetic vulnerability to specific psychiatric disorders, and mental health outcomes. The findings from the research project will provide valuable new data about psychiatric risks and benefits of psychedelic use in vulnerable groups, which could inform future clinical trials on populations that currently are excluded from participation.

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