Fernando Minauro-Sanmiguel

Unidad de Investigación Médica en Genética Humana, Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Médico Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City 06720, Mexico.

2 papers in the library · 2 citations · publishing 2024-2026

Papers

Rewarding Effects of the Hallucinogen 4-AcO-DMT Administration and Withdrawal in Rats: A Challenge to the Opponent-Process Theory.

Neuroscience letters January 18, 2024 Hector Vargas-Perez, Fernando Minauro-Sanmiguel, Ryan Ting-A-Kee et al. 2 citations

A classic theory of addiction, opponent-process theory, holds that a drug's immediate rewarding effects are followed by an aversive aftereffect that drives continued use. This study tested whether a 5-HT2A agonist (4-AcO-DMT, a psychedelic) follows that pattern in male rats. In a standard place-preference test 24 hours after dosing—when the drug had cleared—the rats showed no preference for the drug-paired location, suggesting no rewarding aftereffect. However, when the test was modified to capture only the acute drug effect, the rats did show a place preference, indicating the drug itself was rewarding. In a separate test measuring only the 24-hour aftereffect, that aftereffect also produced a strong place preference.

DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137597 Full text Psychedelics Addiction research Neuroscience Drug effects +1

Hallucinogenic Therapy in Alzheimer's Disease targeting Mitochondria-Associated Membranes.

Neuroscience April 6, 2026 Fernando Minauro-Sanmiguel, Hector Vargas-Perez

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a key driver of Alzheimer's disease, fueling neuroinflammation, synaptic failure, and energy collapse. Emerging preclinical evidence suggests that classic hallucinogens like psilocybin, LSD, DMT, and mescaline may restore mitochondrial integrity by activating serotonin 2A and sigma-1 receptors. In experimental models, these pathways enhance mitochondrial biogenesis, reduce oxidative stress, and preserve ER-mitochondrial coupling. DMT and 5-MeO-DMT specifically engage sigma-1 receptors at mitochondria-associated membranes, improving calcium homeostasis and cellular resilience. However, evidence for clinical efficacy in Alzheimer's remains limited and largely preclinical. This framework is presented as a hypothesis-generating model, emphasizing that neuropsychiatric safety, patient selection, and translational feasibility must be carefully addressed.

DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2026.02.028 Full text 5-ht2a receptor Synaptic plasticity Alzheimer’s disease Mitochondria +3