Towards an understanding of psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity

Summary & key facts

This paper reviews evidence that classic psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin, and ayahuasca can quickly boost the brain's ability to rewire itself, a process called neuroplasticity. The authors note these drugs show some promise for conditions such as depression, anxiety, and addiction, and that clinical benefits have sometimes lasted months or years. The review explains which brain areas change, which cellular processes are involved, what drug doses might be needed, and what we still don't know about how long the changes last and how they might help patients or healthy people.

Key facts:

• The authors describe that classic psychedelics such as LSD, psilocybin, and ayahuasca show some potential to help with depression, anxiety, and addiction.
• Clinical improvements after psychedelic treatment have been reported to last for months or even years in some cases.
• The paper focuses on the idea that lasting improvements may come from increased neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to change its wiring and form new connections.
• The review summarizes evidence that psychedelics can affect several cellular processes tied to plasticity, including growth of neuron branches (dendritogenesis), formation of new connections between neurons (synaptogenesis), and creation of new neurons (neurogenesis).
• It also covers changes in plasticity-related molecules, like brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports neuron growth, and immediate early genes, which are genes that switch on quickly when neurons are active.
• The authors discuss where in the brain these changes are seen, especially the prefrontal cortex (involved in planning and mood) and the hippocampus (involved in memory and emotion).
• The review looks at dose questions, comparing full hallucinogenic doses with very small 'microdoses' to see which doses produce measurable changes in plasticity.
• The paper stresses that important questions remain, including how long psychedelic-induced changes in plasticity actually last and which changes are most important for clinical benefits, so more research is needed.

Abstract

Classic psychedelics, such as LSD, psilocybin, and the DMT-containing beverage ayahuasca, show some potential to treat depression, anxiety, and addiction. Importantly, clinical improvements can last for months or years after treatment. It has been theorized that these long-term improvements arise because psychedelics rapidly and lastingly stimulate neuroplasticity. The focus of this review is on answering specific questions about the effects of psychedelics on neuroplasticity. Firstly, we review the evidence that psychedelics promote neuroplasticity and examine the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind the effects of different psychedelics on different aspects of neuroplasticity, including dendritogenesis, synaptogenesis, neurogenesis, and expression of plasticity-related genes (e.g., brain-derived neurotrophic factor and immediate early genes). We then examine where in the brain psychedelics promote neuroplasticity, particularly discussing the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. We also examine what doses are required to produce this effect (e.g., hallucinogenic doses vs. "microdoses"), and how long purported changes in neuroplasticity last. Finally, we discuss the likely consequences of psychedelics' effects on neuroplasticity for both patients and healthy people, and we identify important research questions that would further scientific understanding of psychedelics' effects on neuroplasticity and its potential clinical applications.

Topics

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

Categories

Clinical Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Addiction Hallucinogen Neuroplasticity Neuroscience Psilocybin Psychiatry Psychology

Substances

Ayahuasca LSD Psilocybin

Conditions & symptoms

Addiction Anxiety Depression Addiction or harmful habbits Anxiety or worry Sadness or low mood