Hallucinogens recruit specific cortical 5-HT(2A) receptor-mediated signaling pathways to affect behavior.
Neuron February 1, 2007 Javier González-Maeso, Noelia V Weisstaub, Mingming Zhou et al.
Hallucinogens, including mescaline, psilocybin, and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), profoundly affect perception, cognition, and mood. All known drugs of this class are 5-HT(2A) receptor (2AR) agonists, yet closely related 2AR agonists such as lisuride lack comparable psychoactive properties. Why only certain 2AR agonists are hallucinogens and which neural circuits mediate their effects are...