Serotonergic psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT alters plasticity-related gene expression and generates anxiolytic effects in stressed mice
Research Square December 28, 2023 Margareth Nogueira, Daiane Ferreira Golbert, Richardson Menezes et al. 2 citations
A single high dose of the short-acting psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT alters gene expression in specific brain regions of mice, including the anterior cingulate cortex, basolateral amygdala, ventral hippocampus CA1 region, and dentate gyrus. The compound changed mRNA levels of immediate early genes Arc and Zif268 in several regions and increased TRIP8b expression in the ventral hippocampus after five days. Behaviorally, treated mice showed mixed anxiety-reducing and anxiety-increasing effects in standard tests. However, when pre-treated mice were subjected to acute stress, they had lower corticosterone levels and robust anxiety-reducing effects. These findings suggest molecular actions of 5-MeO-DMT related to its potential anxiolytic effects.