Advanced Science
December 14, 2025
Yong Wang, Jiangang Xu, Xinyu Zhou et al.
5 citations
Esketamine and ketamine are perioperative analgesics and anesthetics widely used in Europe and the United States, but their application in China is still in early stages. They primarily act through non-competitive antagonism of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), though they also affect multiple other receptors and pathways. Due to potential side effects and addictive properties, they are subject to regulatory controls. This review synthesizes recent research on their classical applications—analgesia, sedation, and anesthesia—as well as emerging antidepressant, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory effects. By integrating preclinical and clinical findings and considering limitations, the review aims to inform clinical use and future research directions for these versatile agents.
Advanced Science
March 20, 2025
Sung‐hyun Kim, Sumin Yang, Jeehye Jung et al.
5 citations
Psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin and LSD show renewed potential for treating mental disorders like anxiety, major depressive disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. However, individual genetic, epigenetic, and neural circuit differences create complex pharmacological responses, making precise prescription challenging. This review examines recent studies on psychedelics' diverse effects, covering structural function, the microbiota-gut-brain axis, and transcriptome perspectives. It also highlights deep learning and big data approaches as promising tools to clarify mechanisms and interindividual factors, aiming to improve drug discovery and advance precision medicine for psychiatric conditions.
Advanced Science
November 20, 2025
Paolo Cardone, Charlotte Martial, Yonatan Sanz Perl et al.
2 citations
Simulated administration of LSD and psilocybin in computational models of patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC), including unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) and minimally conscious state (MCS), shifted brain activity closer to criticality—the phase transition between order and chaos. The effect was greater in MCS patients. In UWS patients, the treatment response correlated with structural connectivity, while in MCS patients it aligned with baseline functional connectivity. These results provide a computational foundation for using psychedelics in DoC treatment and highlight the potential role of computational modeling in drug discovery and personalized medicine.
Advanced Science
September 25, 2025
Ye Wang, Lei Liu, Jinghao Wang et al.
2 citations
Early administration of S-Ketamine (on day 1) after trauma significantly improves PTSD symptoms in rodent models, particularly impaired fear extinction, while late administration (day 7) does not. The firing and burst rates of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) decrease after PTSD modeling and are restored only by early S-Ketamine. These VTA dopamine neurons respond to conditioned stimuli and help replace aversive memory encoding during fear extinction. Inhibiting the VTA-to-orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) pathway blocks S-Ketamine's therapeutic effect. A non-invasive brain stimulation targeting the OFC sensitizes cortical dopaminergic transmission and extends the effective time window of S-Ketamine for anti-PTSD treatment.