The Biochemist
March 25, 2024
David Nutt
3 citations
Natural psychedelics like magic mushrooms have been used for at least 7000 years, with a resurgence in the 1950s and 1960s after LSD was synthesized and used therapeutically. Non-medical use led to a global ban in the early 1970s. Over the past 20 years, research has revived, showing that psychedelics act as agonists of the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor, altering neuro-circuitry to produce more integrated and flexible brain activity. These changes, observed in healthy volunteers, predicted benefits for mental illnesses like depression and addiction, confirmed by subsequent trials. A single psychedelic experience can yield very long-lasting improvements across several mental illnesses. Given these consistent positive outcomes, psychedelic therapy will likely soon be widely approved in Western medicine, as it already is in Australia for treatment-resistant depression.
The Biochemist
April 1, 2007
Erika Dyck
2 citations
In April 1943, Swiss biochemist Albert Hofmann ingested a small amount of a newly synthesized drug, LSD, and experienced dizziness, visual disturbances, and a strong urge to laugh. During his bicycle ride home, he perceived the familiar road as a surreal scene reminiscent of a Salvador Dalí painting and a roller coaster. Although a doctor found him physically healthy, Hofmann was mentally distressed. This account describes the first intentional human experience with LSD, highlighting its profound psychological effects.
The Biochemist
March 28, 2024
Peter J. Duggan, S. Walker
1 citation
Humans have used hallucinogenic substances since prehistoric times, often in religious rituals. In the 1960s, the counterculture centered on psychedelics like LSD, leading to their worldwide prohibition under the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances, which limited scientific research. Recently, hints that psychedelics may help treat resistant depression and PTSD have spurred efforts to gather clinical data for potential regulatory approval as medical treatments.
The Biochemist
March 14, 2024
Natalie Ertl, Matthew B. Wall
Psychedelics have been used for ritual, spiritual, and medicinal purposes since prehistory across many cultures. Classic psychedelics like psilocybin act on the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor, while atypical ones like MDMA and ketamine have different mechanisms and produce less hallucination. They all induce profound shifts in consciousness, positive emotions, and feelings of connectedness. LSD, first synthesized in the early 1940s, began the first wave of Western psychedelic research. By the 1960s, thousands of patients had received LSD therapy for depression, anxiety, and addiction in the USA, UK, and Czech Republic, coinciding with the development of other psychiatric drugs like monoamine oxidase inhibitors and antipsychotics.
The Biochemist
January 19, 2024
Javier González-Maeso
Psychedelics like psilocybin, mescaline, and LSD alter cognition and perception through the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor. Recent evidence shows they can produce lasting changes in neuroplasticity in preclinical models and are being tested for treating depression and anxiety. Key questions remain, including whether the hallucinogenic experience is necessary for therapeutic effects and how to design valid placebo controls. The authors conclude that the therapeutic potential is supported but more mechanistic preclinical studies are needed to establish causality.