Classical psychedelics exert hallucinogenic and therapeutic effects primarily through activation of serotonin 2 A receptor (5-HT2AR), offering promise as transformative treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders. However, their concurrent activation of 5-HT2BR—associated with cardiac valvulopathy—raises serious safety concerns, underscoring the need for subtype-selective psychedelics. To address...
Depression is primarily treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which are limited by delayed onset of effects and low rates of remission. Recent studies showed that serotonergic psychedelics such as psilocybin can reduce depressive symptoms both rapidly and enduringly. Such effects have been associated with the activation of the serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptor in the...