The effects of psychedelics on neuroplasticity: A review of current research and the possibility of therapeutic application in psychiatry
Mile Jevtić
Engrami 2025 DOI: 10.5937/engrami47-57385 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Randomized Placebo-controlled Double-blind Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Neuroplasticity |
| Keywords | Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Psychedelics may be a promising new approach for treating mental disorders, particularly depression and substance use disorders, based on recent randomized double-blind placebo-controlled studies. |
Abstract
Psychedelics are psychoactive substances that cause changes in perception, state of consciousness, mood and numerous cognitive processes. The best known are lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), psilocybin and mescaline. The main mechanism of action of psychedelics is agonism towards serotonin 5-HT2A receptors. In the middle of the 20th century, interest in the use of psychedelics in treatment of affective disorders and addiction disease arose, but due to political pressure and the potential danger of uncontrolled use, they were banned in the 1970s. In the absence of innovations in treatment and new psychopharmacological agents, the potential of psychedelics in the treatment of mental disorders has again been the focus of research in recent decades. In this paper, the neurobiology of psychedelics will be presented in the light of current research on their effects on neural networks and neuroplasticity, and therefore the possibilities of therapeutic application in psychiatry. Also, recent research will be presented with an emphasis on randomized double-blind placebo-controlled studies in which the effectiveness of the use of psychedelics in the treatment of depression and disorders caused by the use of alcohol and other psychoactive substances was examined. Findings so far indicate that psychedelics may be a promising new approach for the treatment of mental disorders, but the use of psychedelics for these purposes raises not only bioethical, but also new legal issues.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on neuroplasticity, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A neurotrophic hypothesis of depression: role of synaptogenesis in the actions of NMDA receptor antagonists | 2012 | Review | |
| Towards an understanding of psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity. Review of preclinical and clinical studies | 2023 | Review | |
| Buddha's Brain: Neuroplasticity and Meditation [In the Spotlight] | 2008 | Review | |
| Neuroplasticity as a convergent mechanism of ketamine and classical psychedelics | 2021 | Review | |
| Psychedelics in Psychiatry: Neuroplastic, Immunomodulatory, and Neurotransmitter Mechanisms | 2020 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 25
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 23, 2012
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up. Psychopharmacology November 8, 2017
- Long-term follow-up of psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse July 21, 2016
- Global Street Food: la cocina de la calle Diseño interior 2009
and 20 more in the library