The Science of Magic Mushrooms with Dr Maria Balaet

Magic mushrooms are naturally occurring fungi which contain psychoactive component psilocybin. They have a complex ancient and modern history. In the past they have been used in rituals and ceremonies carried out by indigenous communities.

Now they are back in the spotlight as recent scientific studies have shown positive effects of psilocybin administration in a range of conditions such as depression, anxiety and addiction. This talk is going to explore the mechanisms of action of magic mushrooms in the brain and their current applications in modern psychiatry. What makes these compounds unique, how do they change our brain function, and how do they improve mental health?

Doors open at 7pm, talk starts at 7.30pm - come down early to grab a good seat!

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Dr Maria Balaet is a computational neuroscientist based at King's College London. Her work sits at the interface between machine learning and neuroscience and aims to understand human intelligence, neurodegeneration, sleep and the effects of commonly used recreational drugs such as psychedelics on the human brain.  She holds a PhD in Clinical Medicine from Imperial College London and shares regular updates about her work on X @emmsskyyy.

Testimonials from our customers

⭐Fascinating insight into the origins and applications of Psilocybin from an extremely knowledgeable and engaging professional. -Gem

⭐Expertly run, talks are always super informative and a lot of fun! Couldn’t recommend these enough! 5 star. -Owen S

⭐Very interesting topics, and very well organised. Would 100% recommend -Jordo S