Serotonin 2A Receptor Signaling Underlies LSD-induced Alteration of the Neural Response to Dynamic Changes in Music
Cerebral Cortex September 12, 2017 Frederick S. Barrett, Katrin H. Preller, Marcus Herdener et al. 52 citations
Classic psychedelic drugs that activate serotonin 2A receptors alter how the brain responds to the changing tonal structure of music. In 25 healthy adults, brain imaging after placebo, LSD, and LSD combined with a serotonin 2A blocker showed that serotonin 2A signaling changes neural activity in regions for basic and higher-level music processing, memory, emotion, and self-referential thought. This signaling appears critical for tracking musical tonality and for the heightened emotionality, connectedness, and meaningfulness people often report after taking psychedelics. The findings clarify the neuropsychopharmacology of music perception and why music can feel profoundly altered during psychedelic experiences.