d-Lysergic acid diethylamide, psilocybin, and other classic hallucinogens: Mechanism of action and potential therapeutic applications in mood disorders.
D. de Gregorio, J. Enns, N. Nuñez, L. Posa, G. Gobbi
Progress in Brain Research January 1, 2018 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.07.008 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
Depression and anxiety are common psychiatric diagnoses with low quality of life and poor response to current drugs, driving research into alternative compounds. Psychedelic medicine, particularly low doses of LSD and psilocybin, has shown antidepressant effects in anecdotal reports and clinical studies. These compounds modulate mood through serotonergic, dopaminergic, and glutamatergic systems; LSD interacts with 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, D2, and NMDA receptors. Randomized clinical studies have confirmed antidepressant and anxiolytic effects in humans. This chapter reviews psychedelic pharmacology, presents clinical evidence for therapeutic potential in mood disorders, and discusses future directions.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Medicine Psychology |
| Citations | 95 |
| Key finding | LSD and psilocybin have demonstrated antidepressant and anxiolytic effects in randomized clinical studies. |
Abstract
Depression and anxiety are psychiatric diagnoses commonly associated with low quality of life and low percentage of responsiveness by patients treated with currently available drugs. Thus, research into alternative compounds to treat these disorders is essential to guarantee a patient's remission. The last decade has witnessed a revamped interest for the application of psychedelic medicine for the treatment of mental disorders due to anecdotal reports and clinical studies which show that low doses of d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin may have antidepressant effects. LSD and psilocybin have demonstrated mood-modulating properties likely due to their capacity to modulate serotonergic (5-HT), dopaminergic (DA) and glutamatergic systems. LSD, belonging to the category of "classic halluginogens," interacts with the 5-HT system through 5HT1A, and 5HT2A receptors, with the DA system through D2 receptors, and indirectly also the glutamatergic neurotransmission thought the recruitment of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Randomized clinical studies have confirmed its antidepressant and anxiolytic effects in humans. Thus, in this chapter, we will review the pharmacology of psychedelic drugs, report the most striking clinical evidence which substantiate the therapeutic potentials of these fascinating compounds in mood disorders, and look into the horizon of where psychedelic medicine is heading.