The Journal of Physical Chemistry B
September 12, 2026
Cong Zhang, Mingqi Li, Jing Ma et al.
Abstract Precise control over the thermodynamics and kinetics of receptor–ligand interactions is pivotal for manipulating physiological processes and developing targeted therapies. However, conventional pharmacological approaches often lack the spatiotemporal precision required for noninvasive in vivo modulation. Terahertz (THz) technology offers a promising alternative by using nonionizing...
Psychedelics
September 8, 2026
Hongyuan Li, Xiaohui Wang
Central nervous system (CNS) injuries remain challenging to treat due to limited neurogenesis, inhibitory extracellular environments, and maladaptive neuroimmune responses. Psychedelic compounds, including classical serotonergic psychedelics, dissociative anesthetics, and empathogens, have re-emerged as mechanistically distinctive “psychoplastogens” capable of rapidly and persistently enhancing...
Molecular Psychiatry
July 10, 2026
Cong Lin, Xiaohui Wang
Classic psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and mescaline induce lasting changes in neuroplasticity and behavior that extend far beyond their acute pharmacological effects. Emerging evidence highlights that these enduring therapeutic benefits in neuropsychiatric conditions may be significantly mediated through complex epigenetic...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
June 24, 2026
Yibo Wang, H Wang, C T Lin et al.
Natural hallucinogenic compounds have arisen independently across plants, fungi, and animals, evolving into a diverse chemical arsenal that includes phenethylamines, indolealkylamines, and terpenoid scaffolds. Beyond clinical and cultural frameworks, their ecological origins and evolutionary trajectories may help explain why such potent modulators of perception, emotion, and cognition persist...
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science
June 12, 2026
Tianshu Zhang, Cong Lin, Xiaohui Wang
Classic serotonergic psychedelics-such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT)-hold remarkable promise for treating neuropsychiatric disorders, yet their clinical translation is severely constrained by first-pass metabolism, erratic pharmacokinetics, unsuitable action profiles, and off-target peripheral serotonin effects. To overcome these barriers,...
Frontiers in Psychology
May 12, 2026
Xi Zhang, Hongyan Wang, Xiaohui Wang et al.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy of MBI on depression among family caregivers of dementia patients, and to analyze the impact of intervention duration, follow-up period, and intervention methods on treatment outcomes. Methods Search Embase, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PubMed, SinoMed, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP databases for randomized controlled trials on MBI for depression in family...
Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery
May 1, 2026
Cong Zhang, Pu Jiang, Yibo Wang et al.
Psychedelics show great promise for treating Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders but are limited by side effects like hallucinations. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations offer atomic-level insights into receptor interactions, helping to overcome these challenges and guide the development of safer, more effective psychedelic-based therapies. This perspective reviews how MD simulations provide...
Current Neuropharmacology
April 28, 2026
Hongshuang Wang, Xiaobing Li, Feng Yu et al.
The integration of psychedelics and music in therapeutic settings is gaining recognition for its potential to enhance mental health outcomes. This review synthesizes current evidence on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying this synergy, focusing on receptor-level pathways (e.g., 5-HT2A receptor agonism, BDNF-TrkB signaling) and neural circuit dynamics (e.g., default mode network...
Biological Psychiatry
February 1, 2026
Jin Zhang, Cong Lin, Xinyou Lv et al.
1 citation
Classic psychedelics, such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), have emerged as potent modulators of neuroplasticity and metaplasticity in the adult brain, offering novel therapeutic strategies for neuropsychiatric disorders. Recent findings reveal that beyond their transient psychotropic effects, these compounds activate serotonin 5-HT2A receptors...
Nature
January 28, 2026
Zheng Xu, Hongshuang Wang, Jingjing Yu et al.
5 citations
Psychedelics are undergoing a renaissance as potential therapy for psychiatric disorders, with more than 200 clinical trials being studied across several countries1-3. However, the precise mechanisms by which these drugs bring about benefits and the potential clinical risks are not yet fully understood. The serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) was reported to be a Gq-coupled receptor and the primary...
Molecular Psychiatry
December 1, 2025
Yuanpeng Li, Hongyuan Li, Hongshuang Wang et al.
Psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, have garnered significant attention as potential therapeutic tools for treating substance use disorders (SUDs), such as those related to alcohol, nicotine, heroin (an opioid), or cocaine. Traditional treatments often fall short, leading to high relapse rates and an urgent need for innovative approaches. This article explores the emerging role of...
Nature
November 5, 2025
Chenyu Yue, Nan Wang, Haojiang Zhai et al.
22 citations
Ketamine and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) achieve rapid remission in treatment-resistant depression. However, their mechanisms of action—the understanding of which is essential for refining therapeutic precision—remain unclear1, 2–3. Here, using mouse models, we identify adenosine signalling as a central pathway that underlies the antidepressant effects of these interventions. Results from...
Psychedelics.
October 21, 2025
Pu Jiang, Ci Lin, Xiaohui Wang
Psychedelics including psilocybin, dimethyltryptamine, and lysergic acid diethylamide are known to disrupt the normal flow of time perception, for example, producing time dilation, compression, and loss of time. These temporal anomalies provide interesting clues about how the brain processes time, what consciousness is, and what produces the sense of self. This opinion article discusses the...
Psychedelics.
October 14, 2025
Sha Jin, H.y. Wang, Xiaohui Wang
Psychiatric illness, particularly stress-related disorders including depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, presents a considerable health burden worldwide with high prevalence, disabling symptoms, and scant efficacy of available treatments. Chronic stress is a major contributor to the origin and development of these conditions, to the detriment of both individual and, by...
Mol Psychiatry
September 30, 2025
Xiubo Du, Jiantao Liu, Xiaohui Wang
2 citations
Psychedelics, such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ketamine, and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), have captured the attention of scientists, artists, and seekers alike for their profound ability to alter consciousness and inspire creativity. The concept of "creation" encompasses multiple interpretations-ranging from generating novel ideas to fostering personal transformation. This...
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science
September 12, 2025
Junjie Zhang, Xiubo Du, Xinying Li et al.
Hypoxia and psychedelics, despite their distinct origins, both induce altered states of consciousness and promote neuroplasticity, suggesting a shared underlying mechanism relevant to neuropsychiatric treatment and neurological recovery. Terminal lucidity, the transient resurgence of cognitive function in late-stage dementia, highlights the brain's latent capacity for rapid reorganization, a...
ACS Chemical Neuroscience
July 24, 2025
Anjian Yang, Xinyou Lv, Hongshuang Wang et al.
1 citation
This viewpoint reconceptualizes mysticism and fundamentalism as brain network disorders, with psychedelics like psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide, and N,N-dimethyltryptamine offering potential to modulate these states. By disrupting rigid neural patterns, psychedelics may foster cognitive flexibility, challenge inflexible belief systems, and offer therapeutic value for extremism and mental...
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science
July 11, 2025
Cong Zhang, Yibo Wang, Xiaohui Wang
2 citations
Neuropsychiatric disorders reflect disruptions in brain network dynamics along an "order-complexity-chaos" continuum. Psychedelics may therapeutically increase neural entropy, disrupt maladaptive patterns, and promote network reorganization. This system-level framework emphasizes dynamic connectome remodeling over static molecular correction, offering a novel strategy for treating psychiatric...
ACS Chemical Neuroscience
July 9, 2025
Xue Wang, Fan Jun, Cong Lin et al.
4 citations
Classic psychedelics and the gut microbiome interact bidirectionally through mechanisms involving 5-HT2A receptor signaling, neuroplasticity, and microbial metabolism. This viewpoint highlights how psychedelics may reshape microbiota and how microbes influence psychedelic efficacy, proposing microbiome-informed strategies─such as probiotics or dietary interventions─to personalize and enhance...
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science
July 8, 2025
Miyuan Zhang, Haiyan Zhai, Liu Yang et al.
1 citation
Recent advancements in the study of psilocybin and its active metabolite psilocin have highlighted their unique psychedelic properties and potential therapeutic applications, particularly in the rapid and sustained treatment of depression. However, the potent acute psychedelic effects of psilocybin necessitate a deeper understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying its action. In this study,...
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science
May 15, 2025
Haojiang Zhai, Hongshuang Wang, Haohong Li et al.
3 citations
The interplay between psychedelics, such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and sleep is an emerging area, but their impact on sleep remains relatively underexplored. This viewpoint provides a perspective on how psychedelics may alter sleep phases, dreaming, and their potential therapeutic applications for sleep disorders.
ACS Chemical Neuroscience
May 7, 2025
Hongshuang Wang, Xiaohui Wang
5 citations
This viewpoint explores the therapeutic potential of psychedelics in treating neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly through the modulation of brain entropy and the experience of ego dissolution. Psychedelics disrupt rigid neural patterns, facilitating enhanced connectivity and fostering profound emotional breakthroughs that may alleviate symptoms of disorders like depression, anxiety, PTSD,...
Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
May 1, 2025
Yuanpeng Li, Hongyuan Li, Hongshuang Wang et al.
3 citations
The surge of new psychoactive substances (NPS) poses significant public health challenges due to their unregulated status and diverse effects. However, existing in vivo models for evaluating their activities are limited. To address this gap, this study utilizes the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) to evaluate the activity of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) and their analogs....
Natl Sci Rev
April 25, 2025
Yibo Wang, Xiaohui Wang
2 citations
Entheogen: an evolutionary medicine for neuropsychiatric disorders.
Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
April 2, 2025
Cong Lin, Xiaoxuan Zhou, Mingqi Li et al.
14 citations
Depression, a pervasive mental health condition, has increasingly been linked to neuroinflammation, as evidenced by elevated levels of pro-inflammatory markers such as TNF-α and IL-1β observed in patients, which underscores the role of inflammation in its pathophysiology. This study investigates the differential effects of S-ketamine (S-KET) and R-ketamine (R-KET) on inflammation-induced...