Psychedelics and Neural Plasticity: Therapeutic Implications

Psychedelic drugs have reemerged as tools to treat several brain disorders. Cultural attitudes toward them are changing, and scientists are once again investigating the neural mechanisms through which these drugs impact brain function. The signifi-cance of this research direction is reflected by recent work, including work presented by these authors at the 2022 meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. As of 2022, there were hundreds of clinical trials recruiting participants for testing the thera-peutic effects of psychedelics. Emerging evidence suggests that psychedelic drugs may exert some of their long-lasting thera-peutic effects by inducing structural and functional neural plasticity. Herein, basic and clinical research attempting to elucidate the mechanisms of these compounds is showcased. Topics covered include psychedelic receptor binding sites, effects of psychedelics on gene expression, and on dendrites, and psychedelic effects on microcircuitry and brain-wide circuits. We describe unmet clinical needs and the current state of translation to the clinic for psychedelics, as well as other unanswered basic neuroscience questions addressable with future studies.

Automated summary

Psychedelic drugs have regained attention as tools for treating brain disorders. Recent research suggests that they may exert therapeutic effects by influencing neural plasticity. This article showcases basic and clinical research on the mechanisms of psychedelic drugs, covering topics such as receptor binding, gene expression, and their effects on brain circuits.