Effects of serotonin agonists LSD and 25CN-NBOH on conditioned place preference and on synaptic plasticity of VTA dopamine neurons in mice
bioRxiv Preprint Server December 12, 2024 Lauri V. Elsilä, Elina Nagaeva, Jari-Pekka Luukkonen et al. 1 citation preprint
Psychedelic compounds like LSD are often considered non-addictive, but some patterns of use and subjective effects raise questions about their rewarding potential. This study tested whether LSD and a selective 5-HT2A agonist (25CN-NBOH) produce rewarding effects in mice using conditioned place preference and measured changes in synaptic plasticity in dopamine neurons of the ventral tegmental area. No reliable place preference was found for either drug, supporting the idea that psychedelics have at most weak reinforcing effects. However, single doses, especially of LSD, induced synaptic plasticity in medial VTA dopamine neurons, suggesting the midbrain dopamine system may still play a role in their effects.