Journal of Neurochemistry - The Consciousness Library

N,N‐Dimethyltryptamine ( DMT ) Acutely Exposed to Mouse Ventral Tegmental Area I h ‐Negative Neurons Alters the Firing Rate and Conductance in a Sex‐Dependent Manner

Journal of Neurochemistry May 1, 2026 Jannik Nicklas Eliasen, Amir Rezagholizadeh, Helene Påbøl Jacobsen et al.

ABSTRACT Depression and substance use disorder (SUD) affect millions globally and unfortunately, while established treatments exist, they are not always adequate. Psychedelics have emerged as a promising avenue for development of more effective pharmacological interventions. Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a classic psychedelic, has shown anti‐depressive and anti‐addictive properties in preclinical...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.70463 Ventral tegmental area Electrophysiology Membrane potential Bursting +7

Combined Neuroprotective Effects of N,N‐Dimethyltryptamine and Ventral Root Reimplantation Following Spinal Root Avulsion in Rats

Journal of Neurochemistry January 29, 2026 Paola Andrea Caro Aponte, Edison Huertas Montoya, Ítalo Odone Mazali et al.

Currently, no effective treatment exists for injuries at the interface between the CNS/PNS, largely due to their complex pathophysiology and the limited efficacy of single-target therapies. To address this challenge, we investigated a novel combinatorial therapeutic strategy integrating surgical VRR with fibrin sealant biopolymer (FSB) and DMT in a rat model of ventral root avulsion VRA. DMT...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.70364 Neuroprotection Axotomy Neurotrophic factors Neurotrophin +10

Serotonergic Psychedelics Rapidly Modulate Evoked Glutamate Release in Cultured Cortical Neurons

Journal of Neurochemistry February 28, 2025 Aneta Petrušková, Debarpan Guhathakurta, Enes Yağız Akdaş et al. 8 citations

ABSTRACT The serotonergic psychedelics psilocybin, LSD and DMT hold great promise for the development of new treatments for psychiatric conditions such as major depressive disorder, addiction and end‐of‐life anxiety. Previous studies in both animals and humans have confirmed the effects of these drugs on neuronal activity and plasticity. However, the understanding of the mechanisms of action of...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.70020 Serotonergic Serotonin Cortical neurons Glutamate receptor

Bioisosteric analogs of MDMA: Improving the pharmacological profile?

Journal of Neurochemistry September 1, 2024 Ana Sofia Alberto-Silva, Selina Hemmer, Hailey A. Bock et al. 10 citations

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, 'ecstasy') is re-emerging in clinical settings as a candidate for the treatment of specific neuropsychiatric disorders (e.g. post-traumatic stress disorder) in combination with psychotherapy. MDMA is a psychoactive drug, typically regarded as an empathogen or entactogen, which leads to transporter-mediated monoamine release. Despite its therapeutic...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16149 Full text Psychopharmacology Drug-development Mental-health MDMA-Research +1

Inhibition of reactive oxygen species production accompanying alternatively activated microglia by risperidone in a mouse ketamine model of schizophrenia.

Journal of Neurochemistry September 1, 2024 Risako Fujikawa, Jun Yamada, Shoichiro Maeda et al. 6 citations

Recent studies have highlighted the potential involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and microglia, a major source of ROS, in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In our study, we explored how the second-generation antipsychotic risperidone (RIS) affects ROS regulation and microglial activation in the hippocampus using a mouse ketamine (KET) model of schizophrenia. KET administration...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16133 Full text Ketamine Microglia Reactive oxygen species Risperidone +4

Microdosing ketamine in Drosophila does not block serotonin reuptake, but causes complex behavioral changes mediated by glutamate and serotonin receptors

Journal of Neurochemistry February 7, 2024 Kelly E. Dunham, Kani H. Khaled, Leah Weizman et al.

Microdosing ketamine is a novel antidepressant for treatment‐resistant depression. Traditional antidepressants, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), inhibit serotonin reuptake, but it is not clear if ketamine shows a similar mechanism. Here, we tested the effects of feeding ketamine and SSRIs to Drosophila melanogaster larvae, which has a similar serotonin system to mammals and...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16070 Full text

Psilocybin as a lead candidate molecule in preclinical therapeutic studies of psychiatric disorders: A systematic review

Journal of Neurochemistry November 29, 2023 James J Gattuso, Carey Wilson, Anthony J. Hannan et al. 18 citations

Abstract Psilocybin is the main psychoactive compound found in hallucinogenic/magic mushrooms and can bind to both serotonergic and tropomyosin receptor kinase b (TrkB) receptors. Psilocybin has begun to show efficacy for a range of neuropsychiatric conditions, including treatment‐resistant depression and anxiety disorders; however, neurobiological mechanisms are still being elucidated....

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16017 Animal models Psychiatric disorders Psilocybin research Psychiatric treatment +3

Psychedelic-inspired approaches for treating neurodegenerative disorders.

Journal of Neurochemistry July 1, 2022 Hannah N Saeger, David E. Olson 59 citations

Psychedelics are increasingly being recognized for their potential to treat a wide range of brain disorders including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorder. Their broad therapeutic potential might result from an ability to rescue cortical atrophy common to many neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases by impacting neurotrophic factor gene...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15544 Full text Ayahuasca Neuroplasticity Psilocybin Alzheimer's disease +5

A neurobiological perspective on social influence: Serotonin and social adaptation

Journal of Neurochemistry March 11, 2022 Patricia Duerler, Franz X. Vollenweider, Katrin H. Preller 50 citations

Abstract Humans are inherently social beings. Being suggestible to each other's expectations enables pro‐social skills that are crucial for social learning and adaptation. Despite their high relevance for psychiatry, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying social adaptation are still not well understood. This review, therefore, provides a conceptual framework covering various distinct...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15607 Serotonin Perspective graphical Adaptation eye Cognitive psychology +1

The clinical pharmacology and potential therapeutic applications of 5‐methoxy‐N,N‐dimethyltryptamine (5‐MeO‐DMT)

Journal of Neurochemistry February 12, 2022 Johannes T. Reckweg, Malin V. Uthaug, Attila Szabo et al. 108 citations

Abstract 5‐methoxy‐N,N‐dimethyltryptamine (5‐MeO‐DMT) is a naturally occurring tryptamine that primarily acts as an agonist at the 5‐HT1A and 5‐HT2A receptors, whereby affinity for the 5‐HT1A subtype is highest. Subjective effects following 5‐MeO‐DMT administration include distortions in auditory and time perception, amplification of emotional states, and feelings of ego dissolution that...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15587 Anxiety Agonist Depression economics Pharmacology +1

Molecular insights into psychedelic drug action

Journal of Neurochemistry November 19, 2021 Samuel T. Slocum, Jeffrey F. Diberto, Bryan L. Roth 59 citations

Abstract A confluence of factors has renewed interest in the scientific understanding and translational potential of psychedelic drugs such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), mescaline, and psilocybin: the desire for additional approaches to mental health care, incremental progress in basic and clinical research, and the reconsideration and relaxation of existing drug policies. With the...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15540 Psilocybin Mescaline Lysergic acid diethylamide Serotonin +4

Molecular targets of psychedelic‐induced plasticity

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...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15536 Neuroplasticity Cognitive psychology

Lysergic acid diethylamide induces increased signalling entropy in rats’ prefrontal cortex

Journal of Neurochemistry November 3, 2021 Aurora Savino, Charles D. Nichols 18 citations

Abstract Psychedelic drugs are gaining attention from the scientific community as potential new compounds for the treatment of psychiatric diseases such as mood and substance use disorders. The 5‐HT 2A receptor has been identified as the main molecular target, and early studies pointed to an effect on the expression of neuroplasticity genes. Analysing RNA‐seq data from the prefrontal cortex of...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15534 Lysergic acid diethylamide Prefrontal cortex Signalling

From psychiatry to neurology: Psychedelics as prospective therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders

Journal of Neurochemistry September 14, 2021 Urszula Kozłowska, Charles D. Nichols, Kalina Wiatr et al. 78 citations

Abstract The studies of psychedelics, especially psychedelic tryptamines like psilocybin, are rapidly gaining interest in neuroscience research. Much of this interest stems from recent clinical studies demonstrating that they have a unique ability to improve the debilitating symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) long‐term after only a single treatment. Indeed, the Food and Drug...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15509 Psilocybin Major depressive disorder Hallucinogen Neurology +1

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA): Serotonergic and dopaminergic mechanisms related to its use and misuse

Journal of Neurochemistry March 12, 2021 Susan Schenk, Quenten Highgate 47 citations

Abstract Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is an amphetamine analogue that preferentially stimulates the release of serotonin (5HT) and results in relatively small increases in synaptic dopamine (DA). The ratio of drug‐stimulated increases in synaptic DA, relative to 5HT, predicts the abuse liability; drugs with higher DA:5HT ratios are more likely to be abused. Nonetheless, MDMA is a drug...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15348 MDMA Serotonergic Serotonin Amphetamine +7

Extrasynaptic δ-GABAA receptors are high-affinity muscimol receptors.

Journal of Neurochemistry April 1, 2019 Ali Y Benkherouf, Kaisa-Riitta Taina, Pratap Meera et al. 26 citations

Muscimol, the major psychoactive ingredient in the mushroom Amanita muscaria, has been regarded as a universal non-selective GABA-site agonist. Deletion of the GABAA receptor (GABAA R) δ subunit in mice (δKO) leads to a drastic reduction in high-affinity muscimol binding in brain sections and to a lower behavioral sensitivity to muscimol than their wild type counterparts. Here, we use forebrain...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14646 Full text Gabaa receptors Affinity Association Binding +2

Memory impairment and hippocampus specific protein oxidation induced by ethanol intake and 3, 4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in mice

Journal of Neurochemistry March 25, 2013 Clara Ros‐simó, Maria Moscoso‐castro, Jéssica Ruiz‐medina et al. 35 citations

Abstract Ethanol and 3, 4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine ( MDMA ) are popular recreational drugs widely abused by adolescents that may induce neurotoxic processes associated with behavioural alterations. Adolescent CD 1 mice were subjected to ethanol intake using the drinking in the dark ( DID ) procedure, acute MDMA or a combination. Considering that both drugs of abuse cause oxidative stress...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.12247 MDMA Hippocampus Oxidative stress Radial arm maze +4

Microglial and astroglial activation by 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in mice depends on S(+) enantiomer and is associated with an increase in body temperature and motility

Journal of Neurochemistry October 20, 2012 Lucia Frau, Nicola Simola, Antonio Plumitallo et al. 46 citations

Abstract Evidence is accumulating to suggest that 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine ( MDMA ) has neurotoxic and neuroinflammatory properties. MDMA is composed of two enantiomers with different biological activities. In this study, we evaluated the in vivo effects of S(+)‐ MDMA , R(−)‐ MDMA , and S(+)‐ MDMA in combination with R(−)‐ MDMA on microglial and astroglial activation compared with...

DOI: 10.1111/jnc.12060 MDMA Striatum Pharmacology Nucleus accumbens +4

Evidence that MDMA (‘ecstasy’) increases cannabinoid CB2 receptor expression in microglial cells: role in the neuroinflammatory response in rat brain

Journal of Neurochemistry January 12, 2010 Elisa Torres, María Dolores Gutiérrez‐lópez, Érika Borcel et al. 44 citations

J. Neurochem. (2010) 10.1111/j.1471‐4159.2010.06578.x Abstract 3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ‘ecstasy’) produces selective long‐lasting serotonergic neurotoxicity in rats. The drug also produces acute hyperthermia which modulates the severity of the neurotoxic response. In addition, MDMA produces signs of neuroinflammation reflected as microglial activation and an increase in the...

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2010.06578.x MDMA Ecstasy Serotonergic Neurotoxicity +7

Effects of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on serotonin transporter and vesicular monoamine transporter 2 protein and gene expression in rats: implications for MDMA neurotoxicity

Journal of Neurochemistry November 30, 2009 Dominik K. Biezonski, Jerrold S. Meyer 47 citations

J. Neurochem. (2009) 112 , 951–962. Abstract 3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ‘Ecstasy’) is a popular recreational drug used worldwide. This study aimed to determine the effects of this compound on the expression of nerve terminal serotonergic markers in rats. Experiment 1 investigated MDMA‐induced changes in levels of the serotonin transporter (SERT) and the vesicular monoamine...

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.06515.x MDMA Serotonergic Ecstasy Serotonin transporter +7

Persistent MDMA‐induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity in the striatum and substantia nigra of mice

Journal of Neurochemistry September 24, 2008 Noelia Granado, Esther O’shea, Jordi Bové et al. 112 citations

Abstract Acute administration of repeated doses of 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) dramatically reduces striatal dopamine (DA) content, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and DA transporter‐immunoreactivity in mice. In this study, we show for the first time the spatiotemporal pattern of dopaminergic damage and related molecular events produced by MDMA administration in mice. Our...

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2008.05705.x MDMA Substantia nigra Dopaminergic Striatum +3

Differential effects of intravenous R,S‐(±)‐3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy) and its S(+)‐ and R(−)‐enantiomers on dopamine transmission and extracellular signal regulated kinase phosphorylation (pERK) in the rat nucleus accumbens shell and core

Journal of Neurochemistry January 22, 2007 Elio Acquas, Augusta Pisanu, Saturnino Spiga et al. 52 citations

Abstract R,S(±)‐3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (R,S(±)‐MDMA, ‘Ecstasy’) is known to stimulate dopamine (DA) transmission in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). In order to investigate the post‐synaptic correlates of pre‐synaptic changes in DA transmission and their relationship with MDMA enantiomers, we studied the effects of R,S(±)‐MDMA, S(+)‐MDMA, and R(−)‐MDMA on extracellular DA and...

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2007.04451.x MDMA Ecstasy Microdialysis Pharmacology +3

Serotonin 5‐HT2A receptor activation induces 2‐arachidonoylglycerol release through a phospholipase c‐dependent mechanism

Journal of Neurochemistry August 15, 2006 Jason C. Parrish, David E. Nichols 61 citations

To date, several studies have demonstrated that phospholipase C-coupled receptors stimulate the production of endocannabinoids, particularly 2-arachidonoylglycerol. There is now evidence that endocannabinoids are involved in phospholipase C-coupled serotonin 5-HT(2A) receptor-mediated behavioral effects in both rats and mice. The main objective of this study was to determine whether activation...

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2006.04173.x Serotonin 2-arachidonoylglycerol Endocannabinoid system Phospholipase c +8

Differential phospholipase C activation by phenylalkylamine serotonin 5‐HT2Areceptor agonists

Journal of Neurochemistry November 8, 2005 Jason C. Parrish, Michael R Braden, Emily Gundy et al. 40 citations

Experiments compared a series of phenethylamine hallucinogens with their phenylisopropylamine analogues for binding affinity and ability to stimulate serotonin 5-HT 2A receptor-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidyl inositol in cells expressing cloned rat and human 5-HT 2A receptors. The (+/-)phenylisopropylamine analogues had significantly higher intrinsic activities for 5-HT 2A receptor-mediated...

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2005.03477.x Serotonin Phenethylamine 5-HT Receptor Stereochemistry +2

Serotonin–GABA interactions modulate MDMA‐induced mesolimbic dopamine release

Journal of Neurochemistry October 27, 2004 Michael G. Bankson, Bryan K. Yamamoto 84 citations

Abstract 3,4,‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; ‘ecstasy’) acts at monoamine nerve terminals to alter the release and re‐uptake of dopamine and 5‐HT. The present study used microdialysis in awake rats to measure MDMA‐induced changes in extracellular GABA in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), simultaneous with measures of extracellular dopamine (DA) in the nucleus accumbens (NAC) shell....

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2004.02763.x MDMA Serotonin Ventral tegmental area Microdialysis +7

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