Potential Differences in Psychedelic Actions Based on Biological Sex.
Endocrinology July 1, 2024 Sheida Shadani, Kyna Conn, Zane B Andrews et al. 49 citations
The resurgence of interest in psychedelics as psychiatric treatments highlights a need to understand potential sex differences in response. Human studies show efficacy across diagnoses and cognition, but sex-specific effects remain unclear. Animal studies often use one sex or fail to analyze sex differences, hindering translation. Estrogen interacts with the serotonin system, central to psychedelic action, by influencing serotonin synthesis, release, and receptor sensitivity. This interaction may alter psychedelic efficacy in females across menstrual cycles and developmental stages. Investigating estrogen-serotonin interactions could improve therapeutic outcomes, especially for conditions with sex-specific prevalence.