The UFC has entered into a research project with Johns Hopkins to study the benefits of micro-dosing psychedelic drugs for fighters dealing with brain trauma.
In the wake of former UFC fighter Spencer Fisher being revealed as permanently disabled due to his brain trauma from fighting, the UFC has revealed they are exploring partnerships with Johns Hopkins University on their studies on the benefits of psychedelic drugs.
UFC senior vice president of health and performance Jeff Novitzky commented to ESPN that the interest stemmed from a piece on Real Sports in December that highlighted the topic.
"Dana said, 'Hey, find out what this is about,'" Novitzky said. "To see if it does help with some traumatic brain injury, addiction, mental health problems. We want to be on board and we want to be first."
Johns Hopkins has been conducting studies surrounding the benefits of psilocybin mushrooms, and LSD's effects on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, among a wide range of other mental health issues.
"Our research has demonstrated therapeutic effects in people who suffer a range of challenging conditions including addiction (smoking, alcohol, other drugs of abuse), existential distress caused by life-threatening disease, and treatment-resistant depression." Johns Hopkins stated. "Studying healthy volunteers has also advanced our understanding of the enduring positive effects of psilocybin and provided unique insight into neurophysiological mechanisms of action, with implications for understanding consciousness and optimizing therapeutic and non-therapeutic enduring positive effects."
The treatment of mental health conditions by hallucinogenic drugs have been getting more and more focus in recent years, highlighted by the state of Oregon recently legalizing Psilocybin mushroom in their jurisdiction in the most recent election.
The entire Real Sports segment that aired in December can be viewed in its entirety below.
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