Psychedelics as Medicines: An Emerging New Paradigm
Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics – November 04, 2016
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Serotonergic psychedelics, including psilocybin, are emerging as powerful tools in medicine. These hallucinogens show preliminary efficacy against anxiety, addiction, and psychiatric depression, influencing neurotransmitter receptors like 5-HT2A. Neuroscience suggests this mechanism, relevant to psychiatry and psychology, can "reset" brain networks, potentially impacting brain disorders linked to serotonin pathways (derived from tryptophan). Beyond mental health, drug studies reveal their promise against inflammatory diseases. This unique influence on behavior offers new hope for debilitating conditions, opening novel avenues in medicine.
Abstract
Scientific interest in serotonergic psychedelics (e.g., psilocybin and LSD; 5‐HT 2A receptor agonists) has dramatically increased within the last decade. Clinical studies administering psychedelics with psychotherapy have shown preliminary evidence of robust efficacy in treating anxiety and depression, as well as addiction to tobacco and alcohol. Moreover, recent research has suggested that these compounds have potential efficacy against inflammatory diseases through novel mechanisms, with potential advantages over existing antiinflammatory agents. We propose that psychedelics exert therapeutic effects for psychiatric disorders by acutely destabilizing local brain network hubs and global network connectivity via amplification of neuronal avalanches, providing the occasion for brain network “resetting” after the acute effects have resolved. Antiinflammatory effects may hold promise for efficacy in treatment of inflammation‐related nonpsychiatric as well as potentially for psychiatric disorders. Serotonergic psychedelics operate through unique mechanisms that show promising effects for a variety of intractable, debilitating, and lethal disorders, and should be rigorously researched.