The Science of Psychedelics with Neuroscientist Maria Balaet
Psychedelic drugs have a tumultuous history. Indigenous communities have used them for healing and visionary experiences for thousands of years. More recently, they were discovered by the Western society and became central to social and artistic movements in the 1960’s… before being banned worldwide.
Now psychedelics are back in the spotlight and entering the mainstream, with clinical trials exploring their therapeutic use for mental health disorders like depression, anxiety and addiction. Groundbreaking science has uncovered that these substances have effects on the brain, affecting connectivity patterns that govern day-to-day functioning.
This talk will cover the key findings coming from contemporary research with psychedelics, and hint at what is next in store for psychedelic science and the potential impact on society at large…
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.
CSE018 School of Education, Exton Park
Exton Park is centrally located in Chester, and accessible via the M53, A483, A41, A56, and public transport from the city centre.
Address
University of Chester, Parkgate Road, Chester, CH1 4BJThe Greenway Gate, accessible between 7am – 9pm with your University pass, is located at the back of the overflow car park and is the nearest point of access to the Millennium Greenway cycle path that connects to routes throughout the city.
Bache train station is a 15-minute walk from Exton Park and Chester railway station is a 20-minute walk. Arriva 1A and Arriva 1 run frequent services that stop with a short walk to Exton Park. All three Park and Ride routes, PR1, PR2 and PR3 have connections within walking distance to Exton Park.
Parking on campus is limited, so we recommend using public transport and/or walking if possible.