The role of modern neuroscience in the renaissance of psychedelic research
Kathryn E. Evans, Crystian I Massengill, Jonnathan Singh Alvarado
Revista Costarricense de Psicología June 30, 2025 DOI: 10.22544/rcps.v44i01.10 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | The renaissance Cognitive science Art history |
| Key findings | Experimental neuroscience techniques are increasingly relevant for understanding the neural circuit mechanisms of classic psychedelics and their therapeutic potential for depression, anxiety, and addiction. |
Abstract
The primary objective of this review is to highlight the increasing relevance of experimental neuroscience in advancing the mechanistic understanding and translational potential of classic psychedelics and other psychoactive substances of interest. First, we review clinical evidence for the therapeutic potential of psychedelics in the context of depression, anxiety, and addiction. Second,we review recent basic neuroscientific findings regarding the molecular and neural circuit bases of psychedelic action, with a focus on contributions from systems neuroscience. We survey recent advances in experimental neuroscience techniques that are well-poised to advance our mechanistic understanding of psychedelics by identifying the specific brain circuits that contribute to distinctaspects of the psychedelic experience. We end by noting that many promising psychoactive substances are woefully understudied in comparison to the more popular psychedelics. Studying their effects on neural circuits and behavior could be a fruitful and financially feasible direction for burgeoning neuroscience research institutions.