Are Psychedelics a Legitimate Treatment for Cluster Headache?
Key Questions
- What makes cluster headache uniquely painful and difficult to treat?
- How does the effectiveness of psilocybin compare to that of traditional treatments for cluster headache?
- What are the biggest obstacles in getting mainstream acceptance of a psilocybin-based treatment approach?
- What are the legal and regulatory hurdles surrounding the use of psychedelics for medical purposes?
- Are psychedelics a safe and accessible treatment option?
- How has the work and advocacy of Clusterbusters influenced the landscape of psychedelic research?
- How important is community for those with cluster headache?
- Why is advocacy so important in headache disorders like cluster headache?
- What areas of research in psychedelics and cluster headaches are on the horizon?
Interview Notes
- Joanna Kempner, PhD
- Clusterbusters
- Headache on the Hill
- Center for Psychedelic Medicine
- Ceruvia Lifesciences
- Book: Psychedelic Outlaws
- Book: Not Tonight
- Study: “Exploratory controlled study of the migraine-suppressing effects of psilocybin”
- Study: “Psilocybin pulse regimen reduces cluster headache attack frequency in the blinded extension phase of a randomized controlled trial”
- Study: “The non-hallucinogen 2-bromo-lysergic acid diethylamide as preventative treatment for cluster headache: An open, non-randomized case series”
Treatments Mentioned
- Community support
- LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide)
- OnabotulinumtoxinA (Botox)
- Oxygen
- Psilocybin
- Psychedelics
Please note: The Migraine World Summit’s aim is to bring you a variety of perspectives and expertise, independent of bias or judgment. Alternative theories presented in this video have not been medically reviewed. Views expressed in this interview do not necessarily represent the views of the Migraine World Summit. Please always consult your health care professional and do your own research before making changes to your treatment plan.
Joanna Kempner, PhD
Associate Professor of Sociology
Rutgers University
Joanna Kempner, associate professor in the Department of Sociology at Rutgers University, is an award-winning sociologist of science, medicine, technology, and inequality, and the author of Psychedelic Outlaws: The Movement Revolutionizing Modern Medicine and Not Tonight: Migraine and the Politics of Gender and Health.
Kempner’s research explores the social forces that determine which medical issues receive attention and which are systematically overlooked. Kempner’s research is published in top journals across multiple disciplines, including Science, PLOS Medicine, and Social Science & Medicine and is often featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times, PBS NewsHour, and the BBC.
She’s also a West Philly mom with two kids, two cats, and a very small poodle.
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