New Paradigms of Old Psychedelics in Schizophrenia
Pharmaceuticals May 23, 2022 Danish Mahmood, Sattam Khulaif Alenezi, Md Jamir Anwar et al. 29 citations
Psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline produce intense effects on the brain and behavior and have recently shown efficacy in treating conditions such as anxiety, depression, mood disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, suicidal ideation, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders when administered in low, medically supervised doses. Their primary mode of action involves activating serotonin 5-HT2A receptors, which modulates cognition and brain connectivity through downstream signaling pathways. Atypical antipsychotic drugs also target these receptors, and both psychedelics and some antipsychotics may act via a common serotonin–glutamate receptor interaction in cortical pyramidal neurons. Emerging hypotheses propose that psychedelics work through brain resetting mechanisms, highlighting the need for deeper research into their neurobiology to benefit psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia.