Auckland Neuro- Psycho- Pharmacology Research Group

Cheers RNZ for having our postdoc Dr. Hannah Douglass on to discuss her research into psychedelic-assisted therapy for anorexia nervosa! These exciting findings are now published and gaining a lot of well-deserved attention.

Why Psilocybin could help in dealing with anorexia. Before we get into our next topic .. we want to let you know we're going to be talking about anorexia .. we know for many this can be a distressing topic, so this might be triggering for some. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, you can call Heathline on 0800 611 16 24....

Our Postdoc, Dr. Hannah Douglass featured on the UoA news about her research into psychedelic-assisted therapy for treating eating disorders, and her new study (now recruiting!) looking into PMDD! Follow PMDD Aotearoa for more information on this diagnosis.

Psilocybin therapy sparks anorexia recovery motivation – University of Auckland Psilocybin therapy may offer hope for people with anorexia nervosa, new research reveals.

Our PhD Student Dimitri Daldegan-Bueno's work on "Conceptualizing and considering Cannabis-Related “Harm-to-Others”: The Role of Cannabis-Related Violence" was recently cited by the UN in their latest World Drug Report! You can get the highlights and main takeaways of the UN report here:

https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/world-drug-report-2026.html

Excited to announce that our fellow, Dr. Hannah Douglass, has had her first first-author paper published on Psilocybin therapy for adult females!!

This study delivered a brief programme of psilocybin dosing and therapeutic support over a six-week period. Average eating disorder scores were reduced at every follow-up, and nearly all participants (18/21) showed improvements two weeks after the final session. At 3 months, 48% of participants had scores comparable to someone without an eating disorder. Participants also reported an increased motivation to recover that lasted for one year.

Hannah says: "Our results in individuals living with anorexia nervosa are encouraging, especially given that these participants had found previous treatments unsuccessful in maintaining their remission. However, further research is needed to assess how these findings might apply to a broader, more diverse population"

You can read the open access article at the link below:

Psilocybin therapy for adult females with anorexia nervosa: pilot study | The British Journal of Psychiatry | Cambridge Core Psilocybin therapy for adult females with anorexia nervosa: pilot study

Recruitment for study on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and the menstrual cycle at the University of Auckland

💰 $170 vouchers (+ win up to $60 from behavioural task)
👥 We are recruiting people with and without PMDD

My name is Dr Hannah Douglass, and I work with the Auckland Neuro- Psycho- Pharmacology Research Group as a Postdoctoral Fellow. Our team are currently recruiting menstruating people to take part in a non-invasive brain imaging study. We hope this research will lead to more research on potential treatments for PMDD and increase public awareness of the condition.
Link for PMDD group: https://redcap.auckland.ac.nz/surveys/?s=MP33W7KFYPX9E7WW
Link for non-PMDD control group: https://redcap.auckland.ac.nz/surveys/?s=W879P4JDWNMJCJFW

See adverts below for more information!

Clinicians cautious a year after psilocybin approved for patients A new online training course is aiming to upskill more medical professionals and address concerns about the therapy.

Members of the ANRG lab have been spotted in the wild on the streets of London! Off to exchange some science with other labs and attend conferences, and hopefully get some adventures in there too 🙌

📢 Participants Wanted for Women's Brain Health Research

Do you have a regular menstrual cycle?

Researchers at AUT and the University of Auckland are investigating how brain function changes across different phases of the menstrual cycle. Participation involves EEG (brain activity) recordings, blood samples, questionnaires, and a low dose of psilocybin across multiple study visits to our Clinical Research Centre. Compensation will be provided for your time and involvement.

You may be eligible if you:

- Are aged 18–46 years
- Have a regular menstrual cycle
- Are not using hormonal contraception
- Have mild to no PMS symptoms
- Are willing to take the study drug
- Are available for at least 4 study visits


To find out more and complete the pre-screening questionnaire, scan the QR code or use the link below:

https://redcap.fmhs.auckland.ac.nz/surveys/?s=L9FTDYNEPWTCD384


Please feel free to share this post with anyone who may be interested!

If you have any other questions, please email us at [email protected] or text us on: 027 204 6170


This study is approved by HDEC (2025 FULL 23149) and SCOTT (2025 SCOTT 23215) ethics committees.

We are extremely proud of our Research Fellow, Dr. Hannah Douglass, who has just graduated with her PhD at Imperial College London. Her thesis was titled: The Therapeutic Potential and Mechanisms of Action of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy in Anorexia Nervosa Treatment. We are very lucky that she has chosen to join our lab and lead the new PMDD project!! PMDD Aotearoa

Menstrual Health Week 2026 is officially underway at University of Auckland!

We’re so excited to have a PMDD Aotearoa stand and the opportunity to introduce more people to PMDD and the impact it can have on daily life.

Our new flyers are out in the world for their very first public event, alongside some fantastic information sheets helping raise awareness of a condition that is still too often misunderstood or overlooked.

It’s been fantastic seeing so many conversations happening around menstrual health, awareness, education, and support — and we’re only halfway through the week!

A huge thank you to the organisers of Menstrual Health Week and to everyone who has stopped by the stand to chat, ask questions, or learn more. These conversations matter. 🩸✨🧠