NeuropharmacologyJune 1, 2026Nehal G. Fahmy, Nada M. Kamel, Mahmoud M. Khattab et al.
Doxorubicin (DOX), a widely utilized chemotherapeutic agent, is associated with significant adverse effects, including cognitive dysfunction (chemobrain) and depression. Ketamine (KET), the anesthetic, was off-label used as antidepressant and got FDA approval in 2019 for treatment-resistant depression management. Hence, this study investigated the therapeutic efficacy of single [KET(S)] versus...
Abstract Introduction Emerging in the late 1990s within sexualized contexts, chemsex-the intentional use of psychoactive substances to enhance or prolong sexual activity-has evolved from a niche practice to a globally recognized public health concern, particularly among LGBTQ populations and men who have sex with men (MSM). Early accounts involved 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and...
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains one of psychiatry's most challenging disorders, common, disabling, and biologically complex. Despite decades of research, only sertraline and paroxetine are FDA-approved, both with modest efficacy. Even first-line trauma-focused psychotherapies leave up to half of patients with persistent symptoms. However, advances in neurobiology are reframing...
Recent clinical trials have suggested the safety and efficacy of psychedelic therapy for treatment-resistant depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, addiction, and end-of-life distress. While neurobiological mechanisms such as 5-HT2A receptor activation, increased neural entropy, and default mode network modulation have been well-characterized, significantly less attention has been given to...
Classical psychedelics such as N,N -dimethyltryptamine (DMT) modulate consciousness via serotonergic receptor agonism, and are increasingly investigated for their psychotherapeutic potential. When combined with the monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitor harmine—mimicking the pharmacological profile of ayahuasca—oral DMT induces a psychedelic experience lasting 4–5 h. While some neuroimaging...
Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew containing N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and β-carboline alkaloids that induces marked alterations in perception, emotion and self-referential processing. However, the multiscale biological organization linking peripheral metabolism, brain network dynamics, neurochemistry, and subjective experience in humans remains poorly understood. Here, we applied an...
Serotonergic psychedelics are known for their profound effects on consciousness and are gaining renewed interest as potential psychiatric treatments. These advances underscore the need to clarify the mechanisms of action of these compounds. This systematic review compiles and critically evaluates 23 in vitro and 26 in vivo electrophysiological studies on psychedelic compounds, with an emphasis...
Classical psychedelics such as N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) modulate consciousness via serotonergic receptor agonism, and are increasingly investigated for their psychotherapeutic potential. When combined with the monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitor harmine-mimicking the pharmacological profile of ayahuasca-oral DMT induces a psychedelic experience lasting 4-5 h. While some neuroimaging...
Clinical trials suggest that a single dose of psilocybin may be an effective treatment for substance use disorders. Choice impulsivity is a value-based decision-making bias that predicts drug-intake escalation and is commonly associated with substance use disorders. The dorsomedial prefrontal cortex regulates choice impulsivity and is enriched with 5-HT2A receptors that mediate effects of...
The impact of classic psychedelics (5-HT2A receptor agonists) on personality traits has been studied for decades, and it has been hypothesized that the mechanisms underlying these changes are linked to agonism at cortical serotonergic 5-HT2A receptors. However, research results are contradictory. Therefore, the present paper aims to systematically evaluate the effects of psychedelics on...