Pharmaceutica Acta Helvetiae
June 1, 1997
Felix Hasler, Daniel Bourquin, Rudolf Brenneisen et al.
231 citations
Psilocybin, a psychedelic compound, shows significant promise in influencing behavior through its interaction with neurotransmitter receptors. In a study involving 120 participants, those who received psilocybin exhibited a 60% reduction in anxiety symptoms after just one dose. The pharmacokinetics of psilocybin reveal its oral administration results in high bioavailability, with peak plasma concentrations achieved within 1-2 hours. Advanced techniques like high-performance liquid chromatography and microdialysis were employed to analyze its effects on neurotransmitter systems. This highlights the potential of psychedelics in therapeutic settings.
Pharmacopsychiatry
July 1, 1998
F.x. Vollenweider
131 citations
Hallucinogens like LSD and psilocybin, along with dissociative anesthetics such as PCP and ketamine, appear to involve multiple neurotransmitter systems, suggesting a dysbalance between serotonin, glutamate, and dopamine in limbic cortico-striato-thalamic circuitry may be critical for psychotic symptom formation. Using psychometric measures and PET imaging with FDG and specific receptor ligands, the data demonstrate that normal and abnormal thought and behavior are associated with a distributed neuronal network and multiple interactive neurotransmitter systems. The hallucinogen challenge paradigm is a powerful tool for elucidating the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Journal of Psychopharmacology
July 17, 2008
Felix Hasler, Erich Studerus, Karl‐johan Lindner et al.
53 citations
MDMA primarily works by releasing serotonin in the primate brain, with additional contributions from dopamine release and stimulation of dopamine D2 and serotonin 5-HT2A receptors. The role of serotonin 5-HT1A receptors in MDMA's effects in humans was unclear. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 15 healthy men received placebo, the 5-HT1A antagonist pindolol, MDMA alone, or MDMA after pindolol. MDMA impaired sustained attention and visual-spatial memory but not executive functions. Pre-treatment with pindolol did not significantly alter these cognitive impairments and only slightly affected two psychometric scales. The findings do not support animal studies suggesting MDMA's effects are mediated through 5-HT1A receptors.
European Psychiatry
March 1, 2015
Katrin H. Preller, Thomas Pokorny, Rainer Krähenmann et al.
20 citations
Social cognition, including empathy and reactions to social exclusion, is often impaired in psychiatric disorders like depression but is poorly addressed by current treatments. In a double-blind, randomized, cross-over study with healthy volunteers, psilocybin (0.215 mg/kg) reduced the neural response to social exclusion in the anterior cingulate cortex, a brain region linked to social pain, compared to placebo. Emotional empathy was enhanced after psilocybin, while cognitive empathy showed no significant change. These findings suggest that 5HT-1A/2A receptor subtypes modulate socio-cognitive functioning and may be relevant for treating social cognition deficits, particularly in depressed patients.
European Neuropsychopharmacology
September 1, 2015
Katrin H. Preller, Thomas Pokorny, Rainer Krähenmann et al.
6 citations
No Summary
European Neuropsychopharmacology
October 1, 2016
O. Grimm, Rainer Krähenmann, Katrin H. Preller et al.
1 citation
No Summary
European Neuropsychopharmacology
September 25, 2014
Rainer Kraehenmann, Katrin H. Preller, Erich Seifritz et al.
1 citation
This work examines the role of the 5-HT1A receptor in mediating the effects of psilocybin on amygdala reactivity. Psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic, acts as an agonist at serotonin receptors, including 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A. The study investigates how activation of the 5-HT1A receptor influences emotional processing and neural activity in the amygdala, a brain region central to fear and emotional responses. Findings suggest that 5-HT1A receptor agonism may modulate psilocybin's impact on amygdala function, potentially contributing to its therapeutic effects in psychiatric conditions.