Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging
February 1, 2024
Friederike Holze, Nirmal Singh, Matthias E. Liechti et al.
50 citations
Psychedelic compounds such as psilocybin, LSD, DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, and mescaline, all serotonin 2A receptor agonists, are under investigation as potential treatments. This review summarizes current clinical research on these five compounds, covering mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy, and safety. Evidence for therapeutic indications remains scarce except for psilocybin for depression. No differences in psychedelic effects were noted beyond effect duration, and it is unclear whether different receptor profiles contribute to therapeutic potential. More research is needed to differentiate these compounds for various therapeutic uses.
Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging
April 29, 2022
Mihai Avram, Felix Müller, Helena Rogg et al.
43 citations
Psychedelics, empathogens, and psychostimulants produce increased connectivity between the thalamus and sensorimotor areas of the brain, a pattern similar to that observed in individuals with psychotic disorders. This suggests a shared neural mechanism across these substances and certain psychiatric conditions, linking altered thalamocortical communication to changes in perception and behavior.
Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging
July 17, 2023
Flora Moujaes, Nathalie M. Rieser, Christophe Phillips et al.
19 citations
Four methods of inducing altered states of consciousness—psilocybin, LSD, hypnosis, and meditation—produce distinct patterns of brain connectivity, not a single shared neural signature. Pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions showed connectivity patterns that could predict which method a person had used. Hypnosis and meditation differed from each other and from the drugs. Psilocybin and LSD did not differ in brain connectivity but showed different relationships between brain activity and behavior. The findings clarify how each method works in the brain and suggest they may offer different therapeutic avenues for psychiatric disorders.
Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging
February 9, 2024
Yasmin Schmid, Anya K. Bershad
15 citations
MDMA and serotonergic psychedelics both produce prosocial effects, but they do so through different mechanisms that may influence which psychosocial interventions work best with each compound. This narrative overview compares evidence across four categories of prosocial effects: altered self-image, responses to social reward, responses to negative social input, and social neuroplasticity. MDMA alters self-perception in a way less tied to mystical-type states than serotonergic psychedelics. MDMA enhances responses to social reward, while serotonergic psychedelics may also do so but require more research. Both drug classes dampen reactivity to negative social stimuli and induce social neuroplasticity in preclinical evidence, promoting adaptive rewiring of neural circuits that may aid trauma processing.
Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging
July 1, 2024
S. Parker Singleton, Amy Kuceyeski
1 citation
No Summary
Biological Psychiatry Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging
February 1, 2026
Malvika Sridhar, Azeezat Azeez, Andrew Geoly et al.
Ibogaine treatment in 30 male Special Operations Forces veterans with traumatic brain injury led to gradual increases in resting-state regional cerebral blood flow in cortical, limbic, and striatal brain regions, along with widespread changes in functional connectivity across multiple neural networks. The magnitude of blood flow changes in the left insula and left anterior cingulate cortex correlated with improvements in TBI-related disability symptoms. These findings suggest ibogaine may reorganize functional connections in the brain, with persisting metabolic changes in paralimbic regions potentially underlying its therapeutic effects, though larger controlled studies are needed to validate these initial results.