d-Lysergic acid diethylamide, psilocybin, and other classic hallucinogens: Mechanism of action and potential therapeutic applications in mood disorders.
Danilo de Gregorio, Justine P. Enns, Nicolas A. Nunez, Luca Posa, Gabriella Gobbi
Progress in Brain Research 2018 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.07.008 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | LSD Psilocybin |
| Citations | 95 |
| Key findings | LSD and psilocybin have demonstrated antidepressant and anxiolytic effects in randomized clinical studies. |
Abstract
Depression and anxiety are psychiatric diagnoses commonly associated with low quality of life and low percentage of responsiveness by patients treated with currently available drugs. Thus, research into alternative compounds to treat these disorders is essential to guarantee a patient's remission. The last decade has witnessed a revamped interest for the application of psychedelic medicine for the treatment of mental disorders due to anecdotal reports and clinical studies which show that low doses of d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin may have antidepressant effects. LSD and psilocybin have demonstrated mood-modulating properties likely due to their capacity to modulate serotonergic (5-HT), dopaminergic (DA) and glutamatergic systems. LSD, belonging to the category of "classic halluginogens," interacts with the 5-HT system through 5HT1A, and 5HT2A receptors, with the DA system through D2 receptors, and indirectly also the glutamatergic neurotransmission thought the recruitment of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Randomized clinical studies have confirmed its antidepressant and anxiolytic effects in humans. Thus, in this chapter, we will review the pharmacology of psychedelic drugs, report the most striking clinical evidence which substantiate the therapeutic potentials of these fascinating compounds in mood disorders, and look into the horizon of where psychedelic medicine is heading.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on LSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study of a New Schizophrenomimetic Drug—Sernyl | 1959 | Review | |
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| The Pharmacology of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide: A Review | 2008 | Review | |
| Serotonin research: contributions to understanding psychoses | 2008 | Review | |
| ADVERSE REACTIONS TO PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS. A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE | 1984 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 67
- Hallucinogens in Mental Health: Preclinical and Clinical Studies on LSD, Psilocybin, MDMA, and Ketamine Journal of Neuroscience November 30, 2020
- Neuroplasticity as a convergent mechanism of ketamine and classical psychedelics TIPS - Trends in Pharmacological Sciences September 24, 2021
- Psychedelics in Psychiatry: Neuroplastic, Immunomodulatory, and Neurotransmitter Mechanisms Pharmacological Reviews December 16, 2020
- Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) promotes social behavior through mTORC1 in the excitatory neurotransmission Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 25, 2021
- Ketamine and Serotonergic Psychedelics: Common Mechanisms Underlying the Effects of Rapid-Acting Antidepressants The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology November 16, 2020
and 62 more in the library
Cites 88
- mTOR-Dependent Synapse Formation Underlies the Rapid Antidepressant Effects of NMDA Antagonists Science August 19, 2010
- 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
- Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- Default Mode Network Activity and Connectivity in Psychopathology Annual Review of Clinical Psychology March 29, 2012
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