Psychedelic Drugs in Biomedicine
Evan J. Kyzar, Charles D. Nichols, Raul R. Gainetdinov, David E. Nichols, Allan V. Kalueff
Trends in Pharmacological Sciences September 22, 2017 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2017.08.003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Addiction Anxiety LSD Mescaline Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Biomedicine Hallucinogen Psychotherapist Pharmacology |
| Citations | 155 |
| Key findings | Psychedelic drugs show promise as treatments for addiction, depression, anxiety, and other conditions, but many questions about their mechanisms, safety, and efficacy remain. |
Abstract
Psychedelic drugs, such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), mescaline, and psilocybin, exert profound effects on brain and behavior. After decades of difficulties in studying these compounds, psychedelics are again being tested as potential treatments for intractable biomedical disorders. Preclinical research of psychedelics complements human neuroimaging studies and pilot clinical trials, suggesting these compounds as promising treatments for addiction, depression, anxiety, and other conditions. However, many questions regarding the mechanisms of action, safety, and efficacy of psychedelics remain. Here, we summarize recent preclinical and clinical data in this field, discuss their pharmacological mechanisms of action, and outline critical areas for future studies of psychedelic drugs, with the goal of maximizing the potential benefits of translational psychedelic biomedicine to patients.