bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
January 15, 2026
Justyna K. Hinchcliffe, Christopher W. Thomas, Gary Gilmour et al.
preprint
Abstract The serotonergic psychedelic, psilocybin, shows potential for rapid and sustained antidepressant effects but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Using a chronic interferon-alpha–induced rat model of depression, we show acute psilocybin (0.3 mg/kg) reverses impaired reward-induced biases within 24hrs, with effects enduring for at least 7 days. This suggests psilocybin can restore...
Frontiers in Pharmacology
2026
Patricio Sáez-briones, Amanda Silva-Rodríguez, Michelle Morales-Vidal et al.
In humans, empathy is expressed through various prosocial behaviours between individuals that may be enhanced after intake of the synthetic entactogen MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, "Ecstasy") as the behavioural expression of the so-called entactogenic syndrome. Rodents may also exhibit empathy-like behaviours, such as social interaction and helping behaviour. In this regard, while...
Frontiers in Pharmacology
2026
Joseph Geraci, Erik Viirre, Bessi Qorri et al.
Classical serotonergic psychedelics (e.g., LSD, psilocybin, DMT) alter perception and neuroplasticity primarily via 5-HT2A receptor activation and downstream Ca2+-dependent signaling cascades. Here we propose a speculative yet falsifiable pharmacological hypothesis that these drug-induced biochemical cascades might interface with quantum-mechanical processes in the brain. We focus on nuclear...
Psychopharmakotherapie
2026
Antonia Bendau, Felix Betzler, Twyla Michnevich et al.
1 citation
Party drugs encompass a broad spectrum of legal and illegal psychoactive substances used in party settings such as clubs, festivals, raves or private gatherings to modulate mood, perception, social interaction and bodily states. Most commonly, alcohol and cannabis are consumed, followed by amphetamine, MDMA (“ecstasy”), cocaine and ketamine. Synthetic cathinones, GHB/GBL (“liquid ecstasy”),...
Online Publication Service of Würzburg University (Würzburg University)
2026
Katja Ehrmann
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a prevalent mental disorder, with a lifetime prevalence of 2-3%, characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions). These thoughts and behaviors take up a significant amount of time, cause immense distress, and compromise the quality of life of those who suffer from OCD. In addition to psychological factors such as...
Journal of Psychopharmacology
2026
Petr Scholle, Štěpán Wenke, Tereza Nekovářová et al.
1 citation
Background: Although psychedelics have regained attention as potential treatment tools for various mental disorders, little research has examined their impact on temporal perception. Aims: This double-blinded placebo-controlled study aimed to investigate changes in temporal perception under psilocybin, both through performance during the Temporal Bisection Task (TBT) and through subjective...
Archives of Psychiatry Research
December 29, 2025
Darko Vlahović, D. Vlahovic
BPL-003 is a novel investigational psychedelic compound being developed for the treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Its active ingredient, 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), is a serotonergic psychedelic with preferential agonism at 5-HT1A receptors and rapid pharmacokinetics, allowing for a brief, supervised in-clinic administration. Preclinical studies demonstrate that 5-MeO-DMT...
JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association
December 20, 2025
Maria Rasool, Taha Hannan, Muhammad Imam
Dear Editor, In view of ongoing global research on mental health, especially Major Depressive Disorder, we would like to draw attention to a psychedelic substance, Psilocybin, which has been emerging as a viable treatment option for MDD. Psilocybin is a psychedelic compound derived from certain mushrooms that acts on Serotonergic receptors (primarily 5HT-2A). Psychedelic substances have...
Journal of Neuroscience
December 19, 2025
Nicolas G. Glynos, Emma R. Huels, Trent Groenhout et al.
11 citations
N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a serotonergic psychedelic that is being investigated for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Although the neurophysiological effects of DMT in humans are well characterized, similar studies in animal models and data on the neurochemical effects of DMT are generally lacking, which are critical for a mechanistic understanding. Here, we combined behavioral...
Current Biology
December 9, 2025
Sarah G. Cook, Stephanie J. Lee, Emma Ference et al.
3 citations
Following decades of prohibition, psychedelic drugs have reemerged as promising therapeutics for stress-related conditions, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Still, their impact on stress-related brain regions and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis remains unclear. This work explores the acute effects of psilocybin on the primary regulators of the HPA axis:...