Hallucinogens and Serotonin 5-HT2A Receptor-Mediated Signaling Pathways
Current topics in behavioral neurosciences – January 01, 2017
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Hallucinogens like psilocybin and LSD significantly alter consciousness, emotion, and cognition. Recent insights reveal that these substances primarily act on the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor, with effects linked to its agonist activity. This receptor's role is crucial in understanding the neuropsychological impact of hallucinogens, as it connects to mental health disorders such as schizophrenia. With a focus on the receptor’s structure and function, findings highlight how these compounds influence behavior through neurotransmitter signaling, offering potential therapeutic avenues in psychology and pharmacology.
Abstract
The neuropsychological effects of naturally occurring psychoactive chemicals have been recognized for millennia. Hallucinogens, which include naturally occurring chemicals such as mescaline and psilocybin, as well as synthetic compounds, such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), induce profound alterations of human consciousness, emotion, and cognition. The discovery of the hallucinogenic effects of LSD and the observations that LSD and the endogenous ligand serotonin share chemical and pharmacological profiles led to the suggestion that biogenic amines like serotonin were involved in the psychosis of mental disorders such as schizophrenia. Although they bind other G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) subtypes, studies indicate that several effects of hallucinogens involve agonist activity at the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor. In this chapter, we review recent advances in understanding hallucinogen drug action through characterization of structure, neuroanatomical location, and function of the 5-HT2A receptor.