British Journal of Pharmacology
July 1, 2026
Yuanyuan Wang, Yishan Yao, Ruibin Su et al.
1 citation
Fear-related psychiatric disorders such as phobias and anxiety are insufficiently treated by current therapies. Psychedelics targeting 5-HT₂A receptors show promise in modulating fear circuits, but their specific neurobiological substrates remain unclear. This study investigates the effects of 4-acetoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (4-AcO-DMT), a psychedelic compound, on innate fear responses and...
J Psychopharmacol
June 28, 2026
Yingjie Du, Xiangting Zhao, Yishan Yao et al.
BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder are often comorbid in humans. Psilocybin reportedly has beneficial therapeutic effects on depression, possibly by promoting neuroplasticity. PTSD is associated with the dysregulation of neuroplasticity in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). We hypothesized that psilocybin might reduce fear memory by...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
April 28, 2024
Xiangting Zhao, Yingjie Du, Yishan Yao et al.
53 citations
Background: Psilocybin offers new hope for treating mood disorders due to its rapid and sustained antidepressant effects, as standard medications require weeks or months to exert their effects. However, the mechanisms underlying this action of psilocybin have not been identified. Aims: To investigate whether psilocybin has rapid and sustained antidepressant-like effects in mice and investigate...
Chinese medical journal
December 20, 2023
Yingjie Du, Yunfeng Li, Xiangting Zhao et al.
71 citations
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are highly comorbid. Psilocybin exerts substantial therapeutic effects on depression by promoting neuroplasticity. Fear extinction is a key process in the mechanism of first-line exposure-based therapies for PTSD. We hypothesized that psilocybin would facilitate fear extinction by promoting hippocampal neuroplasticity. First, we assessed the...
Frontiers in Pharmacology
February 16, 2023
Yahong Chen, Junhong Liu, Yishan Yao et al.
19 citations
Psychedelics alter consciousness and may have potential for drug development. As psychedelics are likely therapeutically active, it is important to study their effects and mechanisms using preclinical models. Here, we examined the effects of phenylalkylamine and indoleamine psychedelics on locomotor activity and exploratory behaviour using the mouse Behavioural Pattern Monitor (BPM). DOM,...