Psychedelics as Transformative Therapeutics.
The American journal of psychiatry – May 01, 2023
Source: PubMed
Summary
Psychedelic compounds are gaining traction as transformative treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders, with clinical trials exploring their effects on conditions like depression and anxiety. In recent years, over 50 studies have investigated these hallucinogenic drugs, revealing their interaction with the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor, crucial for their therapeutic potential. However, understanding the pharmacokinetics and biological mechanisms is vital to ensure safe and effective application. As interest surges, it's essential to navigate both the promise and potential pitfalls of these emerging psychopharmacological therapies.
Abstract
Over the past decade, psychedelic compounds have emerged as potentially transformative therapeutics for a variety of intractable neuropsychiatric conditions. However, historically most of the basic science has utilized these compounds as probes to interrogate various endogenous neurotransmitter systems-mainly the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor. With the renewed interest in utilizing these compounds as therapeutics and the explosion in clinical trials, psychedelics have been purported to treat many neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, cluster headaches, migraines, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is therefore imperative to understand the biology and pharmacology behind their therapeutic mechanisms as well as expose any potential pitfalls in their widespread use as treatments. This review covers the latest advances in understanding the biological mechanisms, the newest efforts in drug discovery, and potential pitfalls when it comes to utilizing this class of compounds as emerging therapeutics.