Psychedelics and Hallucinogens in Psychiatry: Finding New PharmacologicalTargets
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry December 2, 2021 Teresa Reynolds de Sousa, João Rema, Sérgio Machado et al. 7 citations
Psychedelics and hallucinogens such as ayahuasca, LSD, and psilocybin show promise for treating several psychiatric disorders. Evidence supports their use in depression, including treatment-resistant depression, with psilocybin and ayahuasca showing good results. In randomized controlled trials, psilocybin and LSD improved symptoms in anxious patients, and psilocybin reduced obsessive-compulsive symptoms in a small sample. Evidence for substance use disorders is less robust but suggests a possible role for LSD and psilocybin in alcohol use disorders and for psilocybin in tobacco addiction. These substances appear safe and well-tolerated in clinical settings. Their mechanisms involve 5-HT2A receptor agonism and changes in brain connectivity, though not fully understood. However, studies have small samples and heterogeneous methods, so more research is needed.