Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
September 19, 2024
Gabriella Gobbi
7 citations
Psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD primarily activate serotonin 5-HT2A receptors but also affect other receptors and neural circuits, fostering transformative cognitive and mystical experiences. Unlike conventional psychiatric drugs, they influence brain networks such as the default mode network and the cortico–striato–thalamo–cortical network, and involve molecular mechanisms including neuroplasticity and epigenetics. This review argues that psychedelics' complex actions require a new conceptual framework in psychiatry to integrate brain, mind, and spirituality, and to avoid oversimplification when studying their therapeutic potential for mental disorders.
Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
July 1, 2003
Ronald T. Coutts
4 citations
This 428-page book reviews psychoactive plants, organized into 10 chapters covering stimulants, cognitive enhancers, sedatives, psychotherapeutic herbs, analgesics, hallucinogens, and cannabis. Each plant is discussed under consistent headings: history, botany, chemical constituents, mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, toxicity, and general effects. The text provides definitions and introduces neuroscientific and pharmacological concepts, with extensive references. However, many chemical structures contain errors, such as misnamed compounds and omitted bonds, which detract from the otherwise useful introductory resource.