Psychedelic LSD activates neurotrophic signal but fails to stimulate neural stem cells.
Stem cell research & therapy September 11, 2024 Xiaoxu Dong, He Lin, Yuting Li et al. 1 citation
LSD activates the TrkB signaling pathway in human neural stem cells (NSCs) similarly to the growth factor BDNF, but unlike BDNF, LSD does not promote NSC proliferation. This suggests LSD may activate an alternative mechanism that counteracts BDNF-TrkB signaling in NSCs, revealing a previously unrecognized cell type-specificity of LSD. The finding may deepen understanding of how LSD produces fast and persistent effects on anxiety and depression.