Psilocybin induces schizophrenia-like psychosis in humans via a serotonin-2 agonist action
Neuroreport December 1, 1998 Franz X. Vollenweider, M. F. I. Vollenweider-Scherpenhuyzen, Andreas Bäbler et al. 1,023 citations
The hallucinogen psilocybin induces a psychosis-like state in healthy people that resembles early schizophrenia. In human volunteers, these effects were blocked in a dose-dependent manner by the serotonin-2A antagonist ketanserin or the atypical antipsychotic risperidone, but were increased by the dopamine antagonist and typical antipsychotic haloperidol. This provides the first human evidence that psilocybin-induced psychosis results from serotonin-2A receptor activation, independent of dopamine stimulation. The findings suggest that serotonin-2A overactivity may play a role in schizophrenia and that blocking this receptor may contribute to antipsychotic benefits.