The DMT and Psilocin Treatment Changes CD11b+ Activated Microglia Immunological Phenotype
bioRxiv Preprint Server March 7, 2021 Urszula Kozłowska, Aleksandra Klimczak, Kalina Wiatr et al. 27 citations preprint
Two classic psychedelics, DMT and psilocin, can alter the behavior of microglia—the brain's immune cells—by reducing levels of immune response markers (TLR4, p65, CD80) and increasing the neuroprotective receptor TREM2. Psilocin also protected neurons in a lab model by reducing microglial phagocytosis. The findings suggest that psychedelics or their analogs may be candidates for treating neurological disorders where inflammation and microglia play a key role.