Pharmacological reports : PR
December 1, 2024
Izabela Szpręgiel, Agnieszka Bysiek
18 citations
Psilocybin, a 5-HT2A receptor agonist on cortical pyramidal cells, increases glutamate release in the frontal cortex and hippocampus. This elevated glutamate boosts activity of GABAergic interneurons, raising GABA levels, which appears to promote antidepressant effects. Psilocybin also interacts with glutamatergic pathways to support neuroplasticity. This mini-review discusses how psilocybin affects glutamatergic neurotransmission and its therapeutic potential for depression and other nervous system disorders.
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry
April 2, 2025
Agnieszka Bysiek, Adam Wojtas, Izabela Szpręgiel et al.
10 citations
Psilocybin increased the release of dopamine, noradrenaline, serotonin, and acetylcholine in the frontal cortex of rats, with the 0.3 mg/kg dose producing the weakest effect. Glutamate release rose only for the first two hours after injection then fell, while γ-aminobutyric acid release increased. Unlike the 5-HT2A receptor agonist 25I-NBOMe, psilocybin did not cause hallucinogenic wet dog shakes or disrupt sensorimotor gating. It showed an anxiolytic effect in the light dark box test one hour after administration, transiently raised serum corticosterone, altered hypothalamic neurotransmitter turnover, and did not produce oxidative DNA damage in the frontal cortex or hippocampus.
Pharmacological reports : PR
February 1, 2026
Zuzanna Kościuk, Izabela Szpręgiel, Agnieszka Bysiek et al.
2 citations
Psilocin and 25I-NBOMe, two serotonergic psychedelics, both altered neurotransmitter levels in the rat claustrum but produced distinct neurochemical profiles. Psilocin elevated noradrenaline and acetylcholine, yielding a balanced excitatory–inhibitory pattern, while 25I-NBOMe induced a stronger excitatory shift with the largest increase in serotonin release. These differences reflect psilocin's engagement of both 5-HT2A and 5-HT1A receptors versus 25I-NBOMe's selective, high-affinity 5-HT2A agonism. The claustrum is highlighted as a convergence point for psychedelic action, and the contrasting profiles suggest fundamentally different therapeutic and toxicological potentials.
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry
June 20, 2026
Agnieszka Bysiek, Izabela Szpręgiel, Adam Wojtas et al.
Two doses of psilocybin (0.6 mg/kg, given subcutaneously seven days apart) reversed anhedonia, produced antidepressant-like effects in the forced swim test, and reduced anxiety in the light/dark box, elevated plus maze, and open field tests in rats exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress. Psilocybin also increased hippocampal neurogenesis, shown by higher numbers of BrdU-positive, DCX-positive, and Ki-67-positive cells in stressed animals. Stress-induced reductions in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression appeared linked to normalization of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. The findings highlight psilocybin-induced neuroplasticity as a key mechanism for its antidepressant and anxiolytic effects.
Kosmos
August 8, 2024
Izabela Szpręgiel
Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a psychedelic substance, has been studied for years for its potential to treat psychiatric disorders. The pineal gland is the most researched site for endogenous DMT synthesis, but the molecule's role remains unclear, and its association with the pineal gland in humans is debated. Ayahuasca, which contains DMT, has known entheogenic effects and may also have therapeutic potential. Determining DMT's synthesis pathway and brain function requires further research to clarify its controversial action.