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
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on mescaline, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study of a New Schizophrenomimetic Drug—Sernyl | 1959 | Review | |
| Hallucinogens and Serotonin 5-HT2A Receptor-Mediated Signaling Pathways | 2017 | Review | |
| Hallucinogens in Mental Health: Preclinical and Clinical Studies on LSD, Psilocybin, MDMA, and Ketamine | 2020 | Review | |
| Legal highs: staying on top of the flood of novel psychoactive substances | 2015 | Review | |
| Psychedelic Drugs in Biomedicine | 2017 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 48
- Biochemical Mechanisms Underlying Psychedelic-Induced Neuroplasticity. Biochemistry January 21, 2022
- Structure–Activity Relationships for Psilocybin, Baeocystin, Aeruginascin, and Related Analogues to Produce Pharmacological Effects in Mice ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science November 2, 2022
- Ketamine and serotonergic psychedelics: An update on the mechanisms and biosignatures underlying rapid-acting antidepressant treatment Neuropharmacology January 13, 2023
- 5-HT2A receptors: Pharmacology and functional selectivity. Pharmacological Reviews April 23, 2025
- Serotonin 2A Receptor (5-HT2AR) Agonists: Psychedelics and Non-Hallucinogenic Analogues as Emerging Antidepressants Chemical Reviews November 30, 2023
and 43 more in the library
Cites 42
- mTOR-Dependent Synapse Formation Underlies the Rapid Antidepressant Effects of NMDA Antagonists Science August 19, 2010
- Psychedelics Promote Structural and Functional Neural Plasticity Cell Reports June 1, 2018
- Psilocybin induces schizophrenia-like psychosis in humans via a serotonin-2 agonist action Neuroreport December 1, 1998
- Safety and Efficacy of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide-Assisted Psychotherapy for Anxiety Associated With Life-threatening Diseases The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease March 4, 2014
- Structural Features for Functional Selectivity at Serotonin Receptors Science March 21, 2013
and 37 more in the library