Psychedelics as an emerging novel intervention in the treatment of substance use disorder: a review
Molecular Biology Reports December 1, 2020 Alec J. DiVito, Robert F. Leger
Classical psychedelics, which activate the serotonin-2A receptor and produce hallucinogenic and mystical-type experiences, show promise for treating substance use disorders, alcohol use disorder, and smoking cessation. Evidence indicates that one or two doses can yield remarkable and enduring positive outcomes. These agents modulate multiple neural networks, reorganizing disordered pathways in the default mode network and attenuating maladaptive signaling in mesolimbic reward circuitry. This review examines the current evidence on psychedelic psychopharmacology and provides an overview of their use and effectiveness for these conditions.