The promises and perils of psychedelic pharmacology for psychiatry.
Nature reviews. Drug discovery June 1, 2022 Tristan D Mcclure-Begley, Bryan L Roth 195 citations
Psychedelic drugs like psilocybin, DMT, and LSD are being reconsidered as treatments for neuropsychiatric diseases, with phase II trials showing that one or two doses of psilocybin can produce significant clinical effects for depression and anxiety. This has sparked commercial interest, with nearly 60 companies formed to explore psychedelic therapeutics. Despite strong evidence that the 5-HT2A receptor mediates the behavioral effects of psychedelics, it remains unclear which aspects of its activity in the central nervous system underlie therapeutic effects and whether these can be isolated with novel chemical probes. The review discusses controversies and consensus in this emerging field, highlighting how basic science can guide development of improved psychedelic-inspired medications without hallucinogenic or rewarding effects.