Molecular insights into psychedelic drug action
Samuel T. Slocum, Jeffrey F. Diberto, Bryan L. Roth
Journal of Neurochemistry November 19, 2021 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15540 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | LSD Mescaline Psilocybin Serotonin |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Action physics Pharmacology Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 59 |
| Key findings | A clearer understanding of the molecular details of psychedelic drug actions can facilitate new insights into their hallucinogenic and therapeutic mechanisms. |
Abstract
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 United States Food and Drug Administration's designation of psilocybin as a “Breakthrough Therapy” for treatment‐resistant depression, a new path has been forged for the conveyance of psychedelics to the clinic. Essential to the further development of such applications, however, is a clearer understanding of how these drugs exert their effects at the molecular level. Here we review the current knowledge regarding the molecular details of psychedelic drug actions and suggest that these discoveries can facilitate new insights into their hallucinogenic and therapeutic mechanisms. image