Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
August 1, 2026
Fabrizio Ascone, Diletta Giangiacomo, Viviana Trezza
Classic psychedelics have re-emerged as compelling probes of neural plasticity, raising interest in their potential relevance for behavioral and circuit-level features associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although only a limited number of studies have examined these compounds in validated animal models of ASD, a growing body of preclinical work has investigated their effects on...
Neuropsychopharmacology
February 13, 2026
Fabrizio Ascone, Valeria Buzzelli, Francesca Mottarlini et al.
2 citations
Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited intellectual disability and a leading monogenic cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As a synaptic disorder, FXS involves the loss of Fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMRP), leading to abnormal dendrite development and immature dendritic spines. Serotonergic signaling, essential for neuronal development and circuit remodeling,...
Psychopharmacology
2023
Valeria Buzzelli, Emilia Carbone, Antonia Manduca et al.
20 citations
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common form of inherited intellectual disability (ID) and the leading monogenic cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Serotonergic neurotransmission has a key role in the modulation of neuronal activity during development, and therefore, it has been hypothesized to be involved in ASD and co-occurring conditions including FXS. As serotonin is involved in...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
December 13, 2005
Gabriella Gobbi, Francis Rodriguez Bambico, Regina A. Mangieri et al.
675 citations
Although anecdotal reports suggest that cannabis may be used to alleviate symptoms of depression, the psychotropic effects and abuse liability of this drug prevent its therapeutic application. The active constituent of cannabis, delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, acts by binding to brain CB1 cannabinoid receptors, but an alternative approach might be to develop agents that amplify the actions of...