Making Sense of Psychedelics in the CNS
Blake A Fordyce, Bryan L. Roth
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology January 30, 2024 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyae007 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Perspective graphical Field mathematics Cognitive science Data science Epistemology Engineering ethics Artificial intelligence |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | The paper reviews the history and current techniques for studying psychedelics pharmacologically and identifies gaps in understanding their physiological effects, therapeutic limits, and treatment improvements. |
Abstract
Abstract For centuries, ancient lineages have consumed psychedelic compounds from natural sources. In the modern era, scientists have since harnessed the power of computational tools, cellular assays, and behavioral metrics to study how these compounds instigate changes on molecular, cellular, circuit-wide, and system levels. Here, we provide a brief history of psychedelics and their use in science, medicine, and culture. We then outline current techniques for studying psychedelics from a pharmacological perspective. Finally, we address known gaps in the field and potential avenues of further research to broaden our collective understanding of physiological changes induced by psychedelics, the limits of their therapeutic capabilities, and how researchers can improve and inform treatments that are rapidly becoming accessible worldwide.