Frontier mental health research: psychedelics & drug studies

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2 papers

Towards an understanding of psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity

Abigail E. Calder, Gregor Hasler
Neuropsychopharmacology Summary & key facts 2022 272 citations

This review looks at studies about classic psychedelics (like LSD, psilocybin, and DMT/ayahuasca) and their effects on neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to change. Animal studies show these drugs can raise genes tied to plasticity and cause dendrite and synapse growth. Human results are mixed, especially when studies use blood…

Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior Psychedelics and Drug Studies

Therapeutic mechanisms of psychedelics and entactogens

Boris D. Heifets, David E. Olson
Neuropsychopharmacology Summary & key facts 2023 59 citations

This paper reviews human and animal research on so-called psychedelics (like psilocybin and LSD) and entactogens (mainly MDMA). The authors say these drugs can produce fast improvements in mental health that sometimes last for months or longer. But we do not yet understand exactly how they work. Human studies point…

Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior Psychedelics and Drug Studies Ketamine LSD
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