Transcriptomics-informed large-scale cortical model captures topography of pharmacological neuroimaging effects of LSD
eLife July 12, 2021 Joshua B. Burt, Katrin H. Preller, Murat Demirtaş et al. 49 citations
A computational model that simulates how LSD affects human brain activity shows that the drug alters communication between cortical areas by increasing the sensitivity of pyramidal neurons via the serotonin-2A receptor. The model accurately reproduced changes in functional connectivity observed in brain scans, and fitting it to individual participants captured personal differences in drug response related to altered consciousness. This approach links molecular drug actions to large-scale brain network changes, offering a path toward personalized medicine.