PeerJ
December 6, 2016
Vanja Dakic, Renata de Moraes Maciel, Hannah Drummond et al.
86 citations
Harmine, the main alkaloid in Ayahuasca, increased the pool of proliferating human neural progenitor cells by 71.5% after four days of treatment. Testing harmine analogs showed that a DYRK1A inhibitor (INDY) but not a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (pargyline) similarly boosted proliferation, suggesting harmine acts through DYRK1A inhibition. This mechanism may underlie both harmine's effects on neural cell growth and its reported antidepressant effects.
ACS omega
August 27, 2024
Marcelo N Costa, Livia Goto-Silva, Juliana M Nascimento et al.
3 citations
Exposure to LSD alters the abundance of hundreds of proteins in lab-grown human brain tissue, affecting pathways related to protein quality control, energy metabolism, and the brain's ability to rewire itself. Mass spectrometry revealed changes in protein synthesis, folding, and degradation, as well as in glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. Follow-up experiments showed that LSD also promotes the growth of neuronal extensions, supporting its influence on neuroplasticity. These molecular changes may help explain how psychedelics could produce therapeutic effects in neuropsychiatric disorders.
bioRxiv Preprint Server
January 30, 2024
Marcelo N. Costa, Livia Goto-Silva, Juliana M. Nascimento et al.
1 citation
preprint
Proteomic analysis of human cerebral organoids reveals that lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) alters proteins involved in proteostasis, energy metabolism, and neuroplasticity-related pathways. LSD exposure changed protein synthesis, folding, autophagy, and proteasomal degradation, suggesting complex regulation of neural cell function. It also modulated glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, which are crucial for cellular energy management and synaptic function. Complementary experiments showed LSD enhanced neurite outgrowth in vitro, confirming its impact on neuroplasticity. These findings provide insight into molecular mechanisms through which LSD may affect neuroplasticity and potentially contribute to therapeutic effects for neuropsychiatric disorders.
April 14, 2016
Vanja Dakic, Renata de Moraes Maciel, Hannah Drummond et al.
1 citation
Harmine, a β-carboline alkaloid found in the psychotropic plant decoction Ayahuasca, increased the pool of proliferating human neural progenitor cells (hNPCs) by 57% after 4 days of treatment. The effect appears to be mediated through inhibition of the DYRK1A enzyme, as an analog that inhibits DYRK1A (INDY) similarly induced proliferation, while an inhibitor of monoamine oxidase (pargyline) did not. Harmine also increased dendritic arborization, including total neurite length, number of segments, extremities, and nodes in MAP2-positive neurons. These findings suggest a biological activity that may contribute to the antidepressant effects observed with Ayahuasca.