Cell
April 30, 2026
Hermany Munguba, Anisul Arefin, Ryota Hasegawa et al.
4 citations
Depression is driven by dysfunction in discrete neural circuits, but a deeper understanding of the underlying molecular and synaptic mechanisms is needed to guide the development of therapeutics. Here, we decipher the mechanisms of action of the fast-acting antidepressant ketamine to enable the identification of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) antidepressant targets. We find that the...
Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)
April 24, 2026
Pietro Carmellini, Alessandro Cuomo, Maria Beatrice Rescalli et al.
Background/Objectives: Major depressive disorder (MDD) remains a leading cause of disability worldwide and exhibits substantial biological heterogeneity that is not adequately captured by current symptom-based diagnostic systems. While the classical monoamine hypothesis has historically guided antidepressant development, it does not fully account for variability in treatment response, delayed...
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
April 23, 2026
Brayan Jonas Mano-Sousa, Maria Clara Gama Fontes, Ana Clara Anacleto Gonçalves et al.
Suicide, particularly in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), remains a pressing global health issue, with over 700,000 annual deaths. Existing treatments often have limited efficacy and delayed onset, creating a need for rapid-acting interventions. Ayahuasca, a traditional Amazonian psychedelic, has shown potential for rapidly reducing suicidal ideation. Our systematic review evaluated the...
Current Issues in Molecular Biology
April 18, 2026
Christopher S. Gondi, Manu Gnanamony, Tarun P. Gondi et al.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a lifelong condition marked by challenges in social communication and repetitive behaviors. Current treatments, primarily behavioral therapies, often fail to address the core symptoms. Recent research has explored the potential of psychedelics, such as LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA, as a new therapeutic approach. While these substances primarily modulate the...
Journal of Affective Disorders
April 15, 2026
Gia Han Le, Sabrina Wong, Danica E. Johnson et al.
4 citations
Ketamine and esketamine exhibit rapid antidepressant effects in persons with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and bipolar depression (TRBD). However, the synaptic mechanisms governing dose, frequency, and durability of response remain unclear. This review aims to evaluate the dosing parameters, including minimum dose and optimal dosing intervals, that reliably induce or maintain long-term...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
April 13, 2026
Craig F. Ferris
For the past half-century, psychiatric drug development has largely focused on tweaking neurotransmitter receptors and chemical pathways. Yet despite billions of dollars invested and major advances in neuroscience, truly innovative treatments for mental illness remain scarce. Disorders like depression, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) continue to be managed with drugs...
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
April 12, 2026
Ibrahim A. Akkouh, Jordi Requena Osete, N. W. Steen et al.
ABSTRACT Schizophrenia (SCZ) is increasingly linked to neuroimmune dysregulation and impaired synaptic plasticity, yet the cellular mechanisms connecting inflammatory signaling to neural dysfunction remain poorly understood. Using human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cortical spheroids (hCS) and astrocytes from patients with SCZ and matched controls, we investigated the effects of...
Preprints.org
April 7, 2026
Luis Miguel Gallardo
preprint
Altered states of consciousness (ASC) represent a universal human capacity for accessing and transforming the subconscious mind, employed across cultures and millennia through diverse contemplative, somatic, pharmacological, ritual, and technological modalities. This comprehensive review synthesizes evidence from over 25 distinct disciplines spanning five clusters: (A) contemplative and...
Neuroscience
April 6, 2026
Fernando Minauro-Sanmiguel, Hector Vargas-Perez
Mitochondrial dysfunction is increasingly recognized as a central driver of Alzheimer's disease (AD), contributing to neuroinflammation, synaptic failure, and energy collapse.Emerging preclinical evidence suggests that classic hallucinogens, such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), mescaline, may restore mitochondrial integrity by activating Serotonin...
JOURNAL OF ADVANCE AND FUTURE RESEARCH
April 1, 2026
Ashish Yadav, Ravina Yadav
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a complex psychiatric condition associated with alterations in brain neuroplasticity. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a key regulator of neuronal survival, synaptic plasticity, and neurogenesis, has been widely studied as a biological marker of neuroplasticity in depression. This review and meta-analysis evaluated the relationship between BDNF levels...