Lasting dynamic effects of the psychedelic 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine ((±)-DOI) on cognitive flexibility
Molecular Psychiatry February 6, 2024 Merima Šabanović, Alberto Lazari, Marta Blanco-Pozo et al. 17 citations
A single dose of the psychedelic compound (±)-DOI increased brain volume in sensory and association areas of young adult mice and improved cognitive flexibility one week later. Treated mice adapted faster to a reversal in a probabilistic learning task and began learning from reward omissions, a strategy mice normally do not use. The effects depended on the timing between drug administration and the reversal, as well as on intervening experiences. These findings suggest that psychedelics may aid treatment of conditions involving rigid thinking, such as depression or addiction, by enhancing neuroplasticity and enabling new learning strategies.