Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry
June 20, 2026
Agnieszka Bysiek, Izabela Szpręgiel, Adam Wojtas et al.
Psychedelics have emerged as a promising novel therapeutic approach for major depressive disorder (MDD). Altered activity and structural atrophy of the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and limbic structures are associated with depressive disorders. Psilocybin may reverse the loss of synaptic connections and restore the function of these brain regions. In this study, we investigated the effects...
Pharmacological reports : PR
February 1, 2026
Zuzanna Kościuk, Izabela Szpręgiel, Agnieszka Bysiek et al.
2 citations
The claustrum, a subcortical structure densely expressing 5-hydroxytryptamine 2 A (5-HT2A) receptors, has been implicated in sensory integration, emotional regulation, salience, and attention. Despite its hypothesized involvement in the effects of serotonergic psychedelics, the neurochemical impact of these substances on claustral neurotransmission remains unexplored. This study aimed to...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
April 17, 2025
Artur Pałasz, Marta Pukowiec, Katarzyna Bogus et al.
Objective: Psychedelics are able to trigger highly intense and profound alterations in self-consciousness, perception, affective, and cognitive processes. Indeed, recent studies show that ketamine and psilocybin could be used as fast-acting antidepressants. However, the molecular and neurochemical mechanisms of these psychedelics and their actions at the level of diverse brain structures...
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry
April 2, 2025
Agnieszka Bysiek, Adam Wojtas, Izabela Szpręgiel et al.
10 citations
Psilocybin has various therapeutic effects in mental and psychological disorders, including depression and mood disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, substance addiction and anxiety. Pharmacodynamic properties of psilocybin depend on doses used and time after administration. The psilocybin dose range varies depending on whether it is used therapeutically or for recreational purposes in...
Pharmacological reports : PR
December 1, 2024
Izabela Szpręgiel, Agnieszka Bysiek
18 citations
In recent decades, psilocybin has gained attention as a potential drug for several mental disorders. Clinical and preclinical studies have provided evidence that psilocybin can be used as a fast-acting antidepressant. However, the exact mechanisms of action of psilocybin have not been clearly defined. Data show that psilocybin as an agonist of 5-HT2A receptors located in cortical pyramidal...
Kosmos
August 8, 2024
Agnieszka Bysiek
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a psychostimulant, which was synthesized for the first time in 1912 in Germany and later forgotten until the 1970s. Then due to its empathogenic and anti-anxiety qualities it was rediscovered as a psychotherapy adjunct, especially for patients requiring treatment for anxiety disorders and suffering after traumatic events. MDMA's positive effects and...
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
December 20, 2023
Adam Wojtas, Agnieszka Bysiek, Marzena Maćkowiak et al.
16 citations
The pathophysiology of depression is related to the reduced volume of the hippocampus and amygdala and hypertrophy of the nucleus accumbens. The mechanism of these changes is not well understood; however, clinical studies have shown that the administration of the fast-acting antidepressant ketamine reversed the decrease in hippocampus and amygdala volume in depressed patients, and the magnitude...
Neuropharmacology
December 1, 2023
Adam Wojtas, Monika Herian, Marzena Maćkowiak et al.
6 citations
2-(4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)etanoamine (25B-NBOMe) is a highly selective 5-HT2A receptor agonist, exhibiting a potent hallucinogenic activity. In the present study, we investigated the effect of a 7-day treatment with 25B-NBOMe in a dose of 0.3 mg/kg on the following: the neurotransmitter release in vivo using microdialysis in freely moving animals, hallucinogenic...
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
June 16, 2022
Adam Wojtas, Agnieszka Bysiek, Agnieszka Wawrzczak-Bargieła et al.
110 citations
Clinical studies provide evidence that ketamine and psilocybin could be used as fast-acting antidepressants, though their mechanisms and toxicity are still not fully understood. To address this issue, we have examined the effect of a single administration of ketamine and psilocybin on the extracellular levels of neurotransmitters in the rat frontal cortex and reticular nucleus of the thalamus...
Scientific Reports
February 21, 2022
Monika Herian, Adam Wojtas, Marzena Maćkowiak et al.
15 citations
4-Iodo-2,5-dimethoxy-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)phenethylamine (25I-NBOMe) is a new psychoactive substance with strong hallucinogenic properties. Our previous data reported increased release of dopamine, serotonin, and glutamate after acute injections and a tolerance development in the neurotransmitters release and rats' behavior after chronic treatment with 25I-NBOMe. The recreational use of 25I-NBOMe...