Autism and youth suicide have both become more common, drawing public health concern. The recent revival of psychedelic research in psychiatry offers a possible treatment avenue, because psychedelics affect serotonin and glutamate systems that are involved in both autism and suicide. This systematic review examines global and Taiwan-specific trends in autism and youth suicide prevalence, reviews clinical and preclinical evidence linking autism and suicidality, proposes a neurobiological connection among autism, suicide, and psychedelics, and discusses potential therapeutic uses of psychedelics for these conditions.
Chronic MDMA use damages serotonin transporters (SERT) in the brain, which is linked to addiction and impaired decision-making. In rats, the cough suppressant dextromethorphan (DM) partially reversed this damage: co-administration with MDMA restored SERT binding by about 23% after 14 days compared to MDMA alone. Behavioral tests showed that MDMA-induced reward and hyperactivity were associated with lower SERT activity, and DM helped restore both SERT levels and serotonin fiber density. The findings suggest DM may protect against MDMA's neurotoxic effects on the brain's reward and motivation circuits.