Classic psychedelics, such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), have emerged as potent modulators of neuroplasticity and metaplasticity in the adult brain, offering novel therapeutic strategies for neuropsychiatric disorders. Recent findings reveal that beyond their transient psychotropic effects, these compounds...
The therapeutic potential of psilocybin in treating psychiatric disorders has gained attention recently. While most research has focused on isolated psilocybin, evidence suggests that whole mushroom extracts exhibit greater efficacy, implicating a possible entourage effect of additional bioactive compounds. This study aimed to elucidate the holistic neuropha...
IntroductionNatural hallucinogens derived from fungi and animals have been used for centuries in shamanic, ritualistic, and medicinal practices across diverse cultures. These compounds exhibit a widerange of structures and mechanisms of action, affecting various neurotransmitter systems pathways. Fungal hallucinogens, primarily indole alkaloids like psilocyb...
Neurological and psychiatric disorders are considered one of the major problems of today's societies and cause many individual and social problems. Current treatments are effective, but due to their burdens, there is always an effort to introduce novel treatments. Psychedelics, a diverse group of psychoactive compounds, including LSD, psilocybin, DMT, MDMA, ...
This viewpoint explores the therapeutic potential of psychedelics in treating neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly through the modulation of brain entropy and the experience of ego dissolution. Psychedelics disrupt rigid neural patterns, facilitating enhanced connectivity and fostering profound emotional breakthroughs that may alleviate symptoms of disor...
Serotonin 5-HT2A receptors were one of the first serotonin receptors to be pharmacologically characterized. In mammals, they are expressed throughout the body in nearly every cell and tissue type, with the highest density in cortical layer V of the brain. They are involved in several aspects of normal physiological processes and behaviors and have been impli...
Brain aging (BA) processes are complex, often affect multiple systems, and frequently lead to cognitive decline and increased susceptibility to insults. BA appears to be a primary risk for the development of many prominent neurodegenerative pathologies. The US Census Bureau predicts that the aging population (65+) will represent a greater proportion of the U...
Neuroinflammation is a critical factor in the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and major depressive disorder. Psychedelics, such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and dimethyltryptamine (DMT), have demonstrated promising therapeutic effects on neuroinflamma...
In recent decades, psilocybin has gained attention as a potential drug for several mental disorders. Clinical and preclinical studies have provided evidence that psilocybin can be used as a fast-acting antidepressant. However, the exact mechanisms of action of psilocybin have not been clearly defined. Data show that psilocybin as an agonist of 5-HT2A recepto...
Psychoactive substances obtained from botanicals have been applied for a wide variety of purposes in the rituals of different cultures for thousands of years. Classical psychedelics from N,N'-dimethyltryptamine, psilocybin, mescaline and various lysergamides cause specific alterations in perception, emotion and cognition by acting through serotonin 5-HT2A re...
ABSTRACT Psychedelic drugs like lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin have emerged as potentially transformative therapeutics for many neuropsychiatric diseases, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, migraine, and cluster headaches. LSD and psilocybin exert their psychedelic effects via activation of the 5-hydroxytryptamine...
BACKGROUND: The emergence of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), including synthetic psilocybin, has raised concern among health experts due to the numerous health and socioeconomic consequences. The current trend is shifting to the hazardous use of synthetic psilocybin in vaping, and little is known about the prevalence of use, specifically among amphetamine...
The psychedelic 5-HT2A receptor (5HT2AR) agonist psilocybin (or the active metabolite psilocin) has emerged as potential useful drug for various neuropsychiatric diseases, with a rapid onset of therapeutic activity. However, the mechanisms responsible for such effects remain incompletely characterized. We aimed to study in vitro pharmacological profile and i...
Psychedelics are increasingly being recognized for their potential to treat a wide range of brain disorders including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorder. Their broad therapeutic potential might result from an ability to rescue cortical atrophy common to many neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases by impacti...
Psychedelic drugs including psilocybin, N,N'-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) are undergoing a renaissance as potentially useful drugs for various neuropsychiatric diseases, with a rapid onset of therapeutic activity. Notably, phase II trials have shown that psilocybin can produce statistically significant clinical effects follow...
Drugs that target the human serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) are used to treat neuropsychiatric diseases; however, many have hallucinogenic effects, hampering their use. Here, we present structures of 5-HT2AR complexed with the psychedelic drugs psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin) and d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), as well as the endogenous ne...
Psychedelics have inspired new hope for treating brain disorders, as they seem to be unlike any treatments currently available. Not only do they produce sustained therapeutic effects following a single administration, they also appear to have broad therapeutic potential, demonstrating efficacy for treating depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a...
