A substituted phenethylamine psychedelic, 25C-NBOMe, increases the ratio of excitation to inhibition in the orbitofrontal cortex by enhancing glutamatergic transmission and reducing GABAergic transmission via the 5-HT2A receptor. It also boosts the intrinsic excitability of pyramidal neurons, but not fast-spiking interneurons, through mechanisms involving G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium channels and protein kinase C. These effects collectively shift local excitation/inhibition balance toward excitation, which may underlie the therapeutic potential of psychedelics for disorders like obsessive-compulsive disorder.
The substituted phenethylamine psychedelic 25C-NBOMe, at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg that disrupts sensorimotor gating, selectively potentiates high frequency oscillation (HFO, 120-150 Hz) power in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) of male Sprague-Dawley rats, peaking 20-30 minutes after treatment. It strengthens HFO coherence within the intra-prefrontal network but not the hippocampal-prefrontal network. Potentiated OFC HFO strongly correlates with strengthened inter-prefrontal HFO coherence. Pre-treatment with the serotonin 2A receptor antagonist MDL100,907 prevents these alterations. The findings indicate that OFC HFO is particularly susceptible to this psychedelic and may drive drug-induced rhythmic coherence within prefrontal regions, suggesting altered HFO could serve as a biological marker of psychedelic effects.
Monks' dreams contain more themes of prediction and revelation, more divine beings and teachers, and more peaceful and reverent emotions compared with nonreligious respondents, whose dreams feature more death, relatives, animals, dead people, and anxiety. The study compared 65 monks and 62 nonreligious respondents through interviews and content analysis. Monks also reported reacting to dreams with chanting and praying more often. The authors interpret these differences in light of Buddhist characteristics and living environment.