Whole-brain drug distribution profiles of psychedelic drugs provide insights into rapid antidepressant action
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) April 7, 2026 Benjamin Hänisch, Tobias Kaufmann, Sofie L. Valk
Combining pharmacodynamic profiles of four classic hallucinogens and ketamine with receptor density distributions from PET and autoradiography studies produces anatomical distribution profiles of drug action strength. Classic hallucinogens show high action strengths in association cortices and, based on autoradiography, in supragranular layers and multimodal temporal areas. Ketamine's affinity for high-affinity subtypes of 5-HT2a and D2 receptors generates classic hallucinogen-like neuroanatomical trends. High rapid-acting antidepressant action strengths in emotion-processing regions contribute to understanding the mechanism of rapid antidepressant action.