As the global population ages, depression in older adults is increasingly common, yet conventional antidepressants often have limited effectiveness and problematic side effects. Psychedelic compounds are emerging as a potential alternative. This review examines preclinical and clinical evidence suggesting psychedelics could treat major depressive disorder in the elderly. It discusses the neurobiological mechanisms behind these effects, highlights relevant animal models, and addresses safety concerns. The authors propose strategies to improve the efficacy and safety of psychedelic therapy in future clinical trials, offering a new avenue for treating late-life depression.
The mind-body problem, examined at the intersection of philosophy and neuroscience, centers on phenomenal consciousness or 'qualia.' Several skeptical arguments challenge the possibility of explaining qualia in purely physical terms: the knowledge argument, conceivability arguments, the multiple realizability argument, and the explanatory gap argument. None of these arguments proves very convincing, so reductive physicalism remains a defensible position, though not the only option. To avoid dogmatism and naivety, such a view requires ongoing conceptual and methodological reflection alongside empirical research.