The 'PSILAUT' protocol: an experimental medicine study of autistic differences in the function of brain serotonin targets of psilocybin.
BMC psychiatry April 25, 2024 Tobias P Whelan, Eileen Daly, Nicolaas A Puts et al. 8 citations
The serotonin system, particularly the 5HT2A receptor, may differ in autistic and non-autistic brains, but previous studies only show correlations. This registered clinical trial (NCT05651126) will directly test whether serotonergic signaling functions differently by using low doses (2 mg and 5 mg) of psilocybin as a pharmacological probe. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled case-control design, autistic and non-autistic adults will undergo functional MRI and EEG to measure how neural responses shift with psilocybin. The study aims to provide the first direct evidence of differential serotonin system function in autism and inform future clinical trials.