Classic psychedelics, including psilocybin, LSD, DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, mescaline, and phenethylamines such as DOI, exert their core effects through 5-HT2A receptor agonism, inducing widespread neurobiological and behavioral changes relevant to psychiatric research. Emerging evidence suggests that these effects are modulated by sex, yet this dimension remains underrepresented in studies. This review...
It is unclear how serotonin 2A receptors (5-HT 2A Rs) in cortical layer 5 pyramidal neurons (L5 PyrNs) differentially contribute to psilocybin-induced hallucinations versus neuroplasticity. Here we show that psilocybin promotes synapse formation and maturation while accelerating the elimination of pre-existing synapses. Cell type-specific manipulation further demonstrated that 5-HT 2A R...
Psychedelics, compounds that can induce dramatic changes in conscious experience, have been used by humans for centuries. Recent studies have shown that certain psychedelics can induce neural plasticity by promoting neurite growth and synapse formation. In this review, we focus on the role of classical serotonergic psychedelics in neural plasticity and discuss its implication for their...