Dynamic coupling of whole-brain neuronal and neurotransmitter systems
Morten L. Kringelbach, Josephine Cruzat, Joana Cabral, Peter C. Whybrow, Nikos K. Logothetis, Gustavo Deco, Gitte M. Knudsen, Robin Carhart-Harris
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences April 13, 2020 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1921475117 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Healthy humans |
| Intervention | Psilocybin |
| Topics | Addiction Anxiety Psilocybin Serotonin |
| Keywords | Neurotransmitter systems Neurotransmitter receptor Deep brain stimulation Functional neuroimaging |
| Citations | 326 |
| Key findings | Stimulation of 5-HT2A receptors with psilocybin causally explains functional effects in the brain, providing insight into its therapeutic potential for neuropsychiatric disorders. |
Abstract
Significance In a technical tour de force, we have created a framework demonstrating the underlying fundamental principles of bidirectional coupling of neuronal and neurotransmitter dynamical systems. Specifically, in the present study, we combined multimodal neuroimaging data to causally explain the functional effects of specific serotoninergic receptor (5-HT 2A R) stimulation with psilocybin in healthy humans. Longer term, this could provide a better understanding of why psilocybin is showing considerable promise as a therapeutic intervention for neuropsychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety, and addiction.