In a mouse model of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) created by prenatal exposure to valproic acid, the acute response to the serotonergic psychedelic psilocybin was reduced compared to controls. However, psilocybin treatment reversed the social behavior deficits that are characteristic of the ASD model. These findings suggest that psilocybin may have therapeutic potential for improving social interaction in ASD.
A single dose of the psychedelic psilocybin lastingly improves social behavior in a mouse model of autism (Cntnap2-knockout mice). This effect is blocked by inhibiting DNA methyltransferase I, suggesting an epigenetic mechanism involving DNA methylation underlies psilocybin's long-term influence on social function.
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.