d-Lysergic acid diethylamide, psilocybin, and other classic hallucinogens: Mechanism of action and potential therapeutic applications in mood disorders.
Progress in Brain Research January 1, 2018 D. de Gregorio, J. Enns, N. Nuñez et al. 95 citations
Depression and anxiety are common psychiatric diagnoses with low quality of life and poor response to current drugs, driving research into alternative compounds. Psychedelic medicine, particularly low doses of LSD and psilocybin, has shown antidepressant effects in anecdotal reports and clinical studies. These compounds modulate mood through serotonergic, dopaminergic, and glutamatergic systems; LSD interacts with 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, D2, and NMDA receptors. Randomized clinical studies have confirmed antidepressant and anxiolytic effects in humans. This chapter reviews psychedelic pharmacology, presents clinical evidence for therapeutic potential in mood disorders, and discusses future directions.