November 17, 2025
Krishna Prasad Bhavaraju, Natasha L. Mason, Pablo Mallaroni et al.
preprint
Abstract Psilocybin induces profound alterations in consciousness, yet prevailing neural models often describe a monolithic change in brain connectivity that may not fully capture the multifaceted nature of the psychedelic state. To test the hypothesis of a composite neural state, this study applied a robust, data-driven framework, Connectome Independent Component Analysis (connICA) with...
Neuropsychopharmacology
November 12, 2025
Hannah M. Kramer, Meghan Hibicke, Jason W. Middleton et al.
7 citations
Activation of serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptors is thought to underly the long-lasting antidepressant effects of psychedelics such as psilocybin, but beyond that, the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved are not well understood. Recent preclinical studies using mice have primarily examined relatively short time points after psychedelic administration, which does not address the long-lasting...
Communications Biology
November 6, 2025
Alex Jinich-Diamant, Sierra Simpson, Juan Pablo Zuniga-Hertz et al.
4 citations
Abstract Mind-body interventions offer promising avenues for improving physical and mental health, yet the comprehensive biological effects of increasingly popular mind-body retreat interventions remain poorly understood. The neural and molecular effects of a 7-day retreat intervention combining meditation, reconceptualization, and open-label placebo healing rituals are investigated in an...
Research Square
November 5, 2025
Sarah E. Mennenga, Toni J. Hanson, Moira G. Semple et al.
2 citations
preprint
Abstract For many, cognitive and affective health declines through typical aging. Although cognitive and affective symptoms are often studied in isolation, they share substantial overlap, and arise, in part, from common biological processes. Aging is accompanied by diminished neural plasticity, heightened neuroinflammation, and widespread alterations in the epigenome. These molecular changes...
Preprints.org
November 4, 2025
William J. Tyler
preprint
Religious and spiritual (R/S) practices and experiences invoke measurable neurocognitive processes that enhance resilience and recovery from affective disorders. Converging evidence from functional neuroanatomy and network studies demonstrate R/S practices recruit brain networks that regulate self-referential processing, salience attribution, executive control, reward, and social bonding....
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
November 4, 2025
Uri Bertocchi, Amit Schwartz, Gali Umschweif et al.
preprint
Background: Psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic compound, has demonstrated long-term antidepressant effects, yet its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Emerging evidence suggests that epigenetic modifications, particularly 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), may play a role in its therapeutic action. Unlike passive demethylation, which requires cell division and...
Translational Psychiatry
October 31, 2025
Giacomo D’andrea, Stefania Chiappini, Laura Ciavoni et al.
3 citations
BACKGROUND: Over the past ten years, several psychedelic compounds, including tryptamines like lysergic acid diethylamide/LSD, psilocybin, ayahuasca, and dimethyltryptamine/DMT, have been tested in clinical trials for a range of psychiatric conditions, such as anxiety and depression. While these compounds are relatively available for treatment, ketamine and its S(+) enantiomer, esketamine, are...
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy
October 30, 2025
Rubén García‐cabrerizo, Itziar Beruete-Fresnillo, Pedro Bergas-Cladera et al.
3 citations
Adolescent depression is a significant public health concern, yet treatment options remain limited, particularly due to age- and sex-related differences in antidepressant efficacy. This study explored for the first time the potential antidepressant-like response of psilocybin in adolescence by examining acute, repeated and persistent effects in Sprague-Dawley rats of both sexes, as measured...
Molecular Psychiatry
October 21, 2025
Pol Puigseslloses, Núria Nadal‐gratacós, Berta Fumàs et al.
1 citation
Current first-line antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), often present a delayed onset of action and fail to effectively treat a large proportion of patients, leaving a gap in the treatment of mood disorders. Psychedelics have recently emerged as promising alternatives due to their ability to produce fast-acting antidepressant effects through neuroplastic...
Psychedelics
October 14, 2025
Mingming Zhao, Jianjun Yang, Kenji Hashimoto
MDMA, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (“ecstasy,” “molly”), is a distinctive entactogen that reverses the serotonin (5-HT) transporter to increase synaptic 5-HT, while also engaging catecholaminergic and oxytocinergic pathways. In clinical trials, MDMA-assisted psychotherapy has yielded substantial improvements in treatment-resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), although regulatory...