Not all serotonergic psychedelics are alike - they induce distinct patterns of altered metabolic activity and connectivity
May 28, 2024 Frederik Gudmundsen, Julia Czurylo, Camilla Trang Vo et al. 1 citation preprint
Three serotonergic psychedelics—psilocybin, LSD, and 2C-B—produce distinct acute and long-term changes in rat brain metabolic activity and connectivity. Psilocybin uniquely alters connectivity between cortical regions including the orbitofrontal, medial prefrontal, and insula cortex, as well as with the dorsal striatum, thalamus, and hippocampus. LSD and 2C-B share more similar effects, centered on acute inhibition of the anterior cingulate cortex, increased activity and connectivity between the amygdala and hypothalamus, and heightened activity in dopamine-rich regions of the ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra. These distinct neural patterns may guide which psychedelic drug could be most beneficial for specific neuropsychiatric disorders.