Psychedelics and Other Psychoplastogens for Treating Mental Illness
Frontiers in Psychiatry October 4, 2021 Maxemiliano V. Vargas, Retsina Meyer, Arabo A. Avanes et al. 162 citations
Psychedelics, part of a broader class called psychoplastogens, promote structural and functional neural plasticity in brain circuits relevant to mental health. They produce lasting therapeutic effects after a single dose and show promise for depression, PTSD, anxiety, and substance use disorders. A theoretical framework explains their broad efficacy. Challenges like scalability and hallucinogenic effects may be addressed by non-hallucinogenic psychoplastogens. This shift in neuropsychiatry aims to cure mental illness by repairing underlying pathophysiology, not just treating symptoms.