Psychedelics researcher reveals how MDMA and LSD transform human connectedness
Reports and Proceedings
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 28-Dec-2025 18:11 ET (28-Dec-2025 23:11 GMT/UTC)
A new Genomic Press Interview published in Psychedelics reveals how Dr. Harriet de Wit has revolutionized the study of psychoactive drugs through her unique approach connecting animal behavior to human consciousness. Her laboratory at the University of Chicago has demonstrated that MDMA enhances feelings of social connectedness during interpersonal interactions, findings with profound implications for PTSD treatment globally. The interview explores her remarkable trajectory from Canadian graduate student to internationally acclaimed scientist whose work influences therapeutic applications of psychedelics worldwide.
Developmental scientists and medical social science experts at Northwestern University have spearheaded the creation of the most recent NIH Toolbox, providing the newest nationally standardized assessment of cognitive, language, motor and social-emotional skill development in infants aged 16 days to 42 months.
The original NIH Toolbox, although widely implemented in clinical and research settings, was designed to measure children from 3 years of age through adulthood.Research reveals how political crises cause a shift in the force behind viral online content ‘from outgroup hate to ingroup love’.
In a new study, nutrition researchers provided incentives for caregivers of young children to address barriers to purchasing healthy foods online, including lack of awareness of the program’s benefits, expensive online delivery fees, and lack of trust in shoppers to select high-quality products. They found that the incentives led to an increase in household purchases of healthy foods, and a decrease in household food insecurity, among other positive outcomes.