Psilocybin elicits a conserved glucocorticoid-responsive gene signature across five 5-HT2A receptor-rich brain regions in rat.
Acta neuropsychiatrica April 10, 2026 Ashkan Veysi, Daniela Atanasovski, Maryam Ardalan et al.
Psilocybin, a psychedelic known for hallucinogenic and potential therapeutic effects, alters gene expression in rat brains in a region-specific manner. Ninety minutes after injection, several genes were upregulated across multiple brain regions, including Nfkbia and Sgk1 in all studied areas and Ddit4 in four regions. Other genes like Gpd1, Apold1, Sox9, Tsc22d3, and Slc2a1 changed in two regions. Psilocybin did not affect genes related to serotonin signaling or other neurotransmitter systems. Many affected genes are known to be activated by glucocorticoids, suggesting a link to stress hormone pathways.