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New legal frameworks for supervised psychedelic services are emerging, with Oregon and Colorado implementing programs to train and license psilocybin facilitators. This study describes Oregon's early psilocybin facilitator workforce and assesses state-approved training programs. The Open Psychedelic Evaluation Nexus (OPEN) reviewed Oregon Health Authority-approved training programs and surveyed facilitators who had completed or were enrolled in these programs between July and November 2023. Data collection included a review of public listings, contact with training programs, and facilitator survey. Results indicated that in the 16 active training programs, the mean tuition was $9,359 and half offered diversity scholarships. Survey respondents ( n  = 106) were relatively diverse; many had an existing healthcare license. The majority reported that training expenses were a moderate-to-severe financial strain. Most were satisfied with training. The mean planned price for a session was $1,388 and the most common areas of specialization were trauma, mental disorders, consciousness exploration, and spirituality. Facilitators requested ongoing training opportunities. In conclusion, Oregon's emerging psilocybin facilitator workforce and training programs are in early development. These findings are crucial for informing future policy and training program development to support a diverse and effective workforce.

Aging involves a decline in neural function that contributes to cognitive impairment and disease. However, the mechanisms underlying the transition from a young-and-healthy to aged-and-dysfunctional brain are not well understood. Here, we report breakdown of the vascular blood-brain barrier (BBB) in aging humans and rodents, which begins as early as middle age and progresses to the end of the life span. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function manipulations show that this BBB dysfunction triggers hyperactivation of transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signaling in astrocytes, which is necessary and sufficient to cause neural dysfunction and age-related pathology in rodents. Specifically, infusion of the serum protein albumin into the young rodent brain (mimicking BBB leakiness) induced astrocytic TGFβ signaling and an aged brain phenotype including aberrant electrocorticographic activity, vulnerability to seizures, and cognitive impairment. Furthermore, conditional genetic knockdown of astrocytic TGFβ receptors or pharmacological inhibition of TGFβ signaling reversed these symptomatic outcomes in aged mice. Last, we found that this same signaling pathway is activated in aging human subjects with BBB dysfunction. Our study identifies dysfunction in the neurovascular unit as one of the earliest triggers of neurological aging and demonstrates that the aging brain may retain considerable latent capacity, which can be revitalized by therapeutic inhibition of TGFβ signaling., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.)

Simultaneous measurements of Pb-B, Pb-U, chelatable lead, ALA-U and EP have been made in a group a asymptomatic children with increased lead absorption. Although the group is small, the results are internally consistent and show linear dose-effect relationships between Pb-U and chelatable lead (indicators of dose) and ALA-U and EP (indicators of lead's effect on heme synthesis). The data show, however, that Pb-B in a rather narrow range (48-68 mug Pb) is not a reliable indicator of the internal dose of lead. These results, as well as others, raise questions concerning the validity of relying exclusively on Pb-B in the clinical management of groups such as young children in old houses and lead-exposed workmen who are at increased risk for plumbism; The results suggest that chelatable lead is most closely related to lead's inhibitory effect on heme synthesis and that, biologically, it may serve as the best "chemical biopsy" of soft tissue lead concentration; A simple AAS method for measureing chelatable lead in urine is described; A new wet digestion technique which is compatible with ASV is also described. EP is apparently a better predictor of chelatable lead than Pb-B. Micro tests for EP, especially the zinc protoporphyrin fraction, are simple and highly useful in monitoring long-term trends in soft tissue levels in individual patients.