Neurodegenerative diseases are marked by progressive neuronal loss, inflammation, and impaired plasticity. Although existing treatments provide limited protection for the brain or ability to slow disease progression, emerging research highlights the gut-brain axis and psychedelics as promising new areas for therapeutic development. The gut microbiome, a meta...
Classic psychedelics and the gut microbiome interact bidirectionally through mechanisms involving 5-HT receptor signaling, neuroplasticity, and microbial metabolism. This viewpoint highlights how psychedelics may reshape microbiota and how microbes influence psychedelic efficacy, proposing microbiome-informed strategies─such as probiotics or dietary interven...
Interest in and use of hallucinogens appears to be growing in the United States, yet less is known about the use of multiple hallucinogens. The aims of this study are to characterize subgroups of lifetime hallucinogen use and to identify sociodemographic correlates of these subgroups. Latent class models were fit using 2021-2022 National Survey on Drug Use a...
Abstract Background We have designed a novel psychedelic-derived compound (HBL20017) characterized by high functional efficacy at 5-HT2A, 5-HT1A, and 5-HT2C receptors. We assessed its hallucinogenic properties and its potential for OCD treatment on the marble burying test (MBT) and in mice homozygous for deletion of the Synapse Associated Protein 3 (SAPAP3) ...
Abstract Background Psychedelics have long been explored as potential treatments for mental illnesses. Since the mid-20th century, clinical trials of psychedelics such as LSD for depression and anxiety in terminally ill patients have been conducted. In the 21st century, revived and accelerated efforts to promote the proper use of psychedelics in the medical ...
Abstract Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a multifactorial and heterogeneous disorder that affects around 280 million individuals worldwide, with approximately 80 million experiencing treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Neuronal hypotrophy and axon hypomyelination in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are hallmark features of MDD, highlighting the ne...
In the 1950s-60s, serotonergic psychedelic drugs were studied as potential adjuvants to psychotherapy to treat addiction and alcoholism. However, starting in the 70s, preclinical and clinical studies on psychedelics stopped for decades because legislation controlled its recreational use, citing their hallucinogenic and psychotomimetic effects, as well as the...
With MDMA, LSD, and psilocybin receiving “Breakthrough Therapy” designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and moving into Phase 3 clinical trials, we are closer than ever to legal administration of these compounds for mental health treatment. Research from Lykos, Usona Institute, Mindmed, Compass Pathways, and Johns Hopkins, among others, ha...
This study will test the hypothesis that brain systems are differentially regulated by serotonin in individuals with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder. To do this, the brain response to two single acute doses of partial serotonin (5HT)1A/2A receptor agonist psilocybin (COMP360) relative to a single dose of placebo (baseline serotonin activity) will be com...
Abstract Classical psychedelics such N,N -dimethyltryptamine (DMT), psilocybin, and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) modulate consciousness via serotonergic receptor agonism, and are increasingly investigated for their psychotherapeutic potential. When combined with the monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitor harmine-mimicking the pharmacological profile of ay...
Sleep paralysis (SP), an REM parasomnia, can be characterized as one of the symptoms of narcolepsy. The SP phenomenon involves regaining meta-consciousness by the dreamer during REM, when the physiological atonia of skeletal muscles is accompanied by visual and auditory hallucinations that are perceived as vivid and distressing nightmares. Sensory impression...
The resurgence of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy marks a pivotal evolution in mental health treatment, challenging traditional paradigms by integrating compounds such as psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, and ketamine into clinical practice. Historically marginalized due to regulatory and societal concerns, these agents are now gaining recognition for their unique n...
This viewpoint reconceptualizes mysticism and fundamentalism as brain network disorders, with psychedelics like psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide, and N,N-dimethyltryptamine offering potential to modulate these states. By disrupting rigid neural patterns, psychedelics may foster cognitive flexibility, challenge inflexible belief systems, and offer thera...
The classical psychedelics (+)-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, and mescaline exert their psychedelic effects via activation of the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor (5-HT2AR). Recent clinical studies have suggested that classical psychedelics may additionally have therapeutic potential for many neuropsychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety,...
The therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances, particularly psilocybin, for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) has garnered considerable attention. However, the necessity of subjective psychedelic experiences for therapeutic efficacy remains unclear, creating a critical gap in the field. To determine whether subjective psychedelic experiences induced...
Perception of visual contrast depends on the surrounding spatial context. Typically, the salience of a central target is reduced by a high contrast surrounding stimulus, an effect known as surround suppression. Although this phenomenon is well-studied, the role of specific neurotransmitter systems during surround suppression in human vision remains unclear. ...
Background and HypothesisVisual hallucinations (VH) are a core symptom of both Lewy body diseases (LBDs; e.g., Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies) and serotonergic psychedelics (SPs; e.g., psilocybin and mescaline). While these classes of VH differ in etiology, shared pathways are suggested by overlapping phenomenology and neural mechanisms. T...
Background and Hypothesis Visual hallucinations (VH) are a core symptom of both Lewy body diseases (LBDs; e.g., Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies) and serotonergic psychedelics (SPs; e.g., psilocybin and mescaline). While these classes of VH differ in etiology, shared pathways are suggested by overlapping phenomenology and neural mechanisms. ...
