Bedside to bench: the outlook for psychedelic research
Summary & key facts
This paper is a review of recent research on psychedelic drugs. The authors say some clinical trials show these drugs can help people with post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse problems, and depression that has not improved with other treatments. But scientists do not yet understand all the biological ways these drugs work. The paper argues researchers should study not just the psychological effects, but also how psychedelics change brain networks, help brain cells adapt, affect hormones and support cells, alter gene activity, and influence the gut-brain connection. The authors recommend using computer models, lab studies on cells, and live animal or human studies to get a fuller p
- This article is a review that looks across many studies instead of reporting a single new experiment.
- Some clinical trials have shown promising results for psychedelics in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse disorders, and depression that does not respond to usual treatments.
- Most existing studies have focused on the psychological effects of psychedelics, like how they change thoughts and feelings.
- The authors say the full biological effects and how these drugs work are not yet established.
- Psychedelics may act in multiple biological ways, including changing how brain networks work, boosting the brain's ability to rewire itself, affecting hormone systems, influencing support cells in the brain, changing gene activity, and alte
- The paper recommends combining computer modeling, lab tests on cells, and live animal or human studies to better understand these biological effects.
- The authors suggest this broader research could help test new clinical uses, such as for stroke, traumatic brain injury, and some neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Abstract
There has recently been a resurgence of interest in psychedelic compounds based on studies demonstrating their potential therapeutic applications in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse disorders, and treatment-resistant depression. Despite promising efficacy observed in some clinical trials, the full range of biological effects and mechanism(s) of action of these compounds have yet to be fully established. Indeed, most studies to date have focused on assessing the psychological mechanisms of psychedelics, often neglecting the non-psychological modes of action. However, it is important to understand that psychedelics may mediate their therapeutic effects through multi-faceted mechanisms, such as the modulation of brain network activity, neuronal plasticity, neuroendocrine function, glial cell regulation, epigenetic processes, and the gut-brain axis. This review provides a framework supporting the implementation of a multi-faceted approach, incorporating in silico, in vitro and in vivo modeling, to aid in the comprehensive understanding of the physiological effects of psychedelics and their potential for clinical application beyond the treatment of psychiatric disorders. We also provide an overview of the literature supporting the potential utility of psychedelics for the treatment of brain injury (e.g., stroke and traumatic brain injury), neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases), and gut-brain axis dysfunction associated with psychiatric disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder). To move the field forward, we outline advantageous experimental frameworks to explore these and other novel applications for psychedelics.