Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
February 2, 2026
Maya C Gaines-Smith, Justin M Silverman, Michael Fiorillo et al.
3 citations
The psychoactive entactogen 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), widely known as a recreational drug, is gaining renewed attention as a potential psychotherapeutic adjunct for treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders, yet its neurobiological mechanisms - particularly those related to its stereoisomers and sex-specific effects - remain poorly understood. Here, we report stereoselective and...
ACS Chemical Neuroscience
January 2, 2026
Mario de la Fuente Revenga, Javier González-Maeso
1 citation
The distinct subjective effects that define psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, or 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI) as drug class are causally linked to the activation of the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT 2A R). However, some aspects of 5-HT 2A R pharmacology remain elusive, such as what molecular drivers differentiate psychedelic from...
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
October 12, 2024
Mario de la Fuente Revenga, Javier González-Maeso
preprint
The distinct subjective effects that define psychedelics such as LSD, psilocybin or DOI as drug class are causally linked to activation of the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT 2A R). However, some aspects of 5-HT 2A R pharmacology remain elusive, such as what molecular drivers differentiate psychedelic from non-psychedelic 5-HT 2A R agonists. We developed an ex vivo platform to obtain snapshots of...
Neuroscience Letters
September 25, 2022
Alaina M Jaster, Jason Younkin, Travis Cuddy et al.
53 citations
Psychedelics, also known as classical hallucinogens, affect processes related to perception, cognition and sensory processing mostly via the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR). This class of psychoactive substances, which includes lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, mescaline and the substituted amphetamine 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI), is receiving renewed...
Psychopharmacology
June 1, 2022
Alaina M Jaster, Harrison Elder, Samuel A Marsh et al.
41 citations
Clinical studies suggest that psychedelics exert robust therapeutic benefits in a number of psychiatric conditions including substance use disorder. Preclinical studies focused on safety and efficacy of these compounds are necessary to determine the full range of psychedelics' effects. The present study explores the behavioral pharmacology of structurally distinct psychedelics in paradigms...
Journal of Neurochemistry
November 6, 2021
Alaina M Jaster, Mario de la Fuente Revenga, Javier González-Maeso
28 citations
Abstract Psychedelic research across different disciplines and biological levels is growing at a remarkably fast pace. In the prospect of a psychedelic drug becoming again an approved treatment, much of these efforts have been oriented toward exploring the relationship between the actual psychedelic effects and those manifestations of therapeutic interest. Considering the central role of the...
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
February 25, 2021
Mario de la Fuente Revenga, Bohan Zhu, Christopher A. Guevara et al.
11 citations
preprint
Clinical evidence suggests a potential therapeutic effect of classic psychedelics for the treatment of depression. The most outstanding and distinct characteristic is the rapid and sustained antidepressant action with one single exposure to the drug. However, the biological substrates and key mediators of psychedelics’ enduring action remain unknown. Here, we show that a single administration...
Scientific Reports
October 3, 2019
Mario de la Fuente Revenga, Jong M. Shin, Hiba Vohra et al.
57 citations
Abstract Head-twitch behavior (HTR) is the behavioral signature of psychedelic drugs upon stimulation of the serotonin 5-HT 2A receptor (5-HT 2A R) in rodents. Following the previous report of a semi-automated detection of HTR based on the dynamics of mouse’s head movement, here we present a system for the identification of individual HTR events in a fully automated fashion. The validity of...
Scientific Reports
July 7, 2017
José Á. Morales-García, Mario de la Fuente Revenga, Sandra Alonso‐gil et al.
173 citations
Abstract Banisteriopsis caapi is the basic ingredient of ayahuasca, a psychotropic plant tea used in the Amazon for ritual and medicinal purposes, and by interested individuals worldwide. Animal studies and recent clinical research suggests that B . caapi preparations show antidepressant activity, a therapeutic effect that has been linked to hippocampal neurogenesis. Here we report that...
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
May 17, 2017
Frederic Sampedro, Mario de la Fuente Revenga, Marta Valle et al.
205 citations
Background: Ayahuasca is a plant tea containing the psychedelic 5-HT2A agonist N,N-dimethyltryptamine and harmala monoamine-oxidase inhibitors. Acute administration leads to neurophysiological modifications in brain regions of the default mode network, purportedly through a glutamatergic mechanism. Post-acutely, ayahuasca potentiates mindfulness capacities in volunteers and induces rapid and...
Psychopharmacology
July 19, 2016
Kim P. C. Kuypers, Jordi Riba, Mario de la Fuente Revenga et al.
204 citations
INTRODUCTION: Ayahuasca is a South American psychotropic plant tea traditionally used in Amazonian shamanism. The tea contains the psychedelic 5-HT2A receptor agonist N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), plus β-carboline alkaloids with monoamine oxidase-inhibiting properties. Increasing evidence from anecdotal reports and open-label studies indicates that ayahuasca may have therapeutic effects in...
Brain Research Bulletin
March 11, 2016
Elisabet Domínguez‐clavé, Joaquim Soler, Matilde Elices et al.
220 citations
Ayahuasca is the Quechua name for a tea obtained from the vine Banisteriopsis caapi, and used for ritual purposes by the indigenous populations of the Amazon. The use of a variation of the tea that combines B. caapi with the leaves of the shrub Psychotria viridis has experienced unprecedented expansion worldwide for its psychotropic properties. This preparation contains the psychedelic 5-HT2A...