Psychedelic 5-HT2A agonist increases spontaneous and evoked 5-Hz oscillations in visual and retrosplenial cortex.
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology July 6, 2025 Callum M White, Zohre Azimi, Robert Staadt et al. 1 citation preprint
Theta waves (4-8 Hz) in the visual cortex are linked to cognitive states and perception, but their role in cortical activity and aberrant brain states is not fully understood. Using cortex-wide voltage imaging in awake mice, 5-Hz oscillations were found in both the visual and retrosplenial cortices, occurring spontaneously and when evoked by visual stimulation. Injection of a psychotropic 5-HT2AR agonist increased spontaneous 5-Hz oscillations and boosted the power, occurrence probability, and persistence of visually evoked 5-Hz oscillations. This modulation in both areas suggests strengthened top-down control of perception, supporting a mechanism underlying perceptual filling and visual hallucinations.