Mechanism behind reductions in depression symptoms from LSD and mushrooms found
Jun 2023, phys.org
The research team added psilocin or LSD to cells in a petri dish in their lab and then looked at what occurred under a microscope. More specifically, they watched the interactions between chemicals in the compounds and receptor cells to see which might bind. After a trial-and-error process, they finally discovered that some of the chemicals were binding to the receptor TrkB—the same receptor targeted by drugs developed to treat depression - only they were creating bonds that were 1,000 times stronger. They also found that the result of such strong bonding was an increase in neuroplastic activity - the mechanism believed to be responsible for the reduction of depression symptoms.
They also found that the antidepressant effects from the binding were independent of the effects of chemicals in the drugs that altered serotonin receptors, which are responsible for inducing psychedelic experiences and hallucinations. And that means that the team may have found a way to treat patients without inducing such experiences.
via Neuroscience Center of University of Helsinki: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland: Rafael Moliner et al, Psychedelics promote plasticity by directly binding to BDNF receptor TrkB, Nature Neuroscience (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01316-5
Research Briefing: Psychedelics bind to TrkB to induce neuroplasticity and antidepressant-like effects, Nature Neuroscience (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01317-4
Note: Studies done on mice that don't mention mice in the title: Research papers that omit 'mice' from titles receive misleading media coverage. https://phys.org/news/2021-06-papers-omit-mice-titles-media.html
Image credit: AI Art - Acid House - 2022
Australia is the first country to let patients with depression or PTSD be prescribed psychedelics
Jul 2023, phys.org
Who pays $10,000 for an eighth of shrooms? (Visibly confused)
"The drugs will be expensive in Australia -- about $10,000 (roughly $6,600 U.S. dollars) per patient for treatment."
via the Associated Press on phys.org
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