Psychedelics: The New Kid on the Block
Annals of Indian Psychiatry January 1, 2024 Prosenjit Ghosh, Avinash Desousa
Psychedelics, including psilocybin, LSD, and DMT, alter perception, mood, and consciousness by acting on brain 5-HT2A receptors. They reduce between-network synchrony and increase connectivity between brain networks, with effects that may persist for months after a single use. Psychedelics do not produce physical dependence or withdrawal. Clinical trials show high-dose psilocybin reduces depressed mood and anxiety in cancer patients, with 80% of participants maintaining improvements at 6-month follow-up. Ayahuasca shows significant antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant depression compared with placebo. Psilocybin increases abstinence in alcohol-dependent participants. DMT induces rapid altered consciousness with increased global functional connectivity and network disintegration. Research on psychedelics has increased since 1990, with 1,538 publications in 2021.