5-HT2A receptor – Page 2

Enhanced visual contrast suppression during peak psilocybin effects: Psychophysical results from a pilot randomized controlled trial

mycolabadmin

Researchers studied how psilocybin affects the way our visual system processes contrast and surrounding visual information. Participants completed vision tests after taking psilocybin or placebo, and the results showed that psilocybin made people more influenced by surrounding visual elements when judging the brightness of objects. Interestingly, the stronger the visual effects people experienced from psilocybin, the more their perception was influenced by these surroundings. This finding might help explain how psilocybin affects mood and could help scientists better understand depression and other conditions affecting vision.

Psychedelics and the Serotonin Hypothesis of Eating Disorders

mycolabadmin

This review explores how psychedelic drugs like psilocybin (found in certain mushrooms) might help treat eating disorders by promoting flexible thinking and breaking rigid eating patterns. The authors summarize evidence from animal studies and early clinical trials showing that psychedelics work differently than traditional antidepressants by triggering brain changes that help people adopt new, healthier behaviors. While results are promising, more research is needed to determine the best doses, patient populations, and long-term safety.

Psilocybin Does Not Induce Conditioned Place Preference, But Modifies Behavioral Patterns in Sprague-Dawley Rats

mycolabadmin

Researchers tested whether psilocybin, a compound found in magic mushrooms, could be addictive by examining reward-seeking behavior in rats. The study found that psilocybin did not create rewarding effects that would typically lead to addiction, and only temporarily changed specific behaviors like head-twitching and grooming while the drug was active. These findings suggest that psilocybin has a low addiction potential and may be safe for therapeutic use in treating mental health conditions.

Microdosing Psychedelics to Restore Synaptic Density in Schizophrenia

mycolabadmin

Schizophrenia involves excessive loss of connections between brain cells in areas responsible for emotion and thinking, leading to negative symptoms and cognitive problems. Research shows that small doses of psychedelics like psilocybin can promote the growth of new brain connections and reduce inflammation. The authors suggest that microdosing psychedelics alongside standard treatments might help restore these lost connections and improve symptoms that don’t respond well to current medications.

Psilocybin induces long-lasting effects via 5-HT2A receptors in mouse models of chronic pain

mycolabadmin

Researchers found that psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, significantly reduced chronic pain in mice through activation of specific serotonin receptors. The effects lasted for up to two weeks after a single dose, suggesting lasting changes in how the nervous system processes pain. This study suggests psilocybin could be a promising new treatment for chronic pain conditions like neuropathy and inflammation.

Psychedelics action and schizophrenia

mycolabadmin

This review examines how psychedelic drugs like psilocybin and LSD affect the brain, particularly through serotonin receptors. While these compounds can produce psychosis-like symptoms similar to schizophrenia, they also promote brain plasticity and growth of neural connections. The article discusses whether psychedelics could potentially treat negative symptoms and cognitive problems in schizophrenia patients, despite their mind-altering properties, possibly through lower doses or non-hallucinogenic alternatives.

A Novel, Non-Hallucinogenic Psychedelic for the Treatment of OCD and Tic Disorder

mycolabadmin

Researchers developed a new drug called HBL20017 based on psychedelic compounds that does not cause hallucinations. In animal tests, this drug significantly reduced obsessive behaviors and involuntary muscle twitches, suggesting it could treat conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette’s syndrome. A single dose showed beneficial effects that lasted up to 42 days, and the compound appeared safer than existing psychedelic treatments.

Body mass index (BMI) does not predict responses to psilocybin

mycolabadmin

Researchers investigated whether a person’s body weight affects how they respond to psilocybin-assisted therapy. Analyzing 77 participants across three studies, they found that BMI did not predict how intensely people experienced the drug or how much their mental health improved afterward. This surprising finding suggests that everyone might benefit from the same fixed dose of psilocybin rather than doses adjusted to body weight, making therapy simpler and more cost-effective to deliver at scale.

Interactions between classic psychedelics and serotonergic antidepressants: Effects on the acute psychedelic subjective experience, well-being and depressive symptoms from a prospective survey study

mycolabadmin

This study examines how antidepressant medications (like SSRIs) affect the experience of classic psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD. Researchers found that people taking these antidepressants experienced less intense emotional and mystical effects from psychedelics, but surprisingly, both groups showed similar improvements in mood and well-being several weeks later. This raises important questions about whether patients need to stop their antidepressants before using psychedelics therapeutically.

Sex-specific role of the 5-HT2A receptor in psilocybin-induced extinction of opioid reward

mycolabadmin

Researchers discovered that a single dose of psilocybin can reduce opioid addiction-related behaviors in male mice by activating serotonin receptors in specific brain circuits, but this effect does not work the same way in females. The study reveals that psilocybin changes how the brain processes opioid rewards and withdrawal symptoms, suggesting psychedelics could become a new treatment approach for opioid addiction. However, important sex differences in how the brain responds mean treatments may need to be tailored differently for men and women.

Research Keyword: 5-HT2A receptor