α2-Adrenergic receptor modulates 5-HT2A-mediated behavioral effects of MDMA and psilocybin in mice.

Psilocybin and MDMA are both psychedelic drugs but produce different behavioral effects. MDMA, but not psilocybin, raises both serotonin and norepinephrine in the medial prefrontal cortex. Blocking norepinephrine release reveals head-twitch responses (a rodent correlate of psychedelic effects) from MDMA, suggesting that noradrenergic signaling opposes serotonin 2A receptor effects. Artificially raising norepinephrine also reduces psilocybin-induced head-twitch responses. Activating the noradrenergic alpha-2 receptor alone suppresses these responses, even in mice lacking the locus coeruleus, indicating action via heteroreceptors. Importantly, alpha-2 receptor activation does not block psilocybin's antidepressant-like effects in the forced swim test. This suggests that side effects of serotonin 2A activation can be reduced without losing therapeutic benefits.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Classic serotonergic psychedelics such as psilocybin act as agonists at cortical serotonin (5-HT) 2A receptors (5-HT 2A R), inducing psychedelic effects in humans and head-twitch responses (HTRs) in rodents. Another class of psychedelic drugs called entactogens, exemplified by MDMA, function primarily as monoamine releasers and typically evoke minimal HTR despite causing serotonin release. The polypharmacology of psychedelic drugs at receptors other than 5-HT 2A R may modulate their behavioral effects. Here, we report that MDMA, but not psilocybin, induces robust elevations of both 5-HT and norepinephrine (NE) in the medial prefrontal cortex. Blocking the release of extracellular NE unmasks MDMA-evoked HTR, suggesting that polypharmacology involving noradrenergic receptors may oppose the 5-HT 2A –mediated effects of MDMA. Artificially elevating NE also attenuates psilocybin-induced HTR, supporting this hypothesis. Selective agonism of the noradrenergic α 2 receptor (α 2 R) is sufficient to suppress 5-HT 2A -mediated HTR, and also suppresses the HTR in locus coeruleus-ablated mice, suggesting that this effect is mediated by heteroreceptors. Moreover, psilocybin-induced effects in the forced swim test persisted in the presence of α₂R activation. Thus, these findings support a model in which some forms of 5-HT 2A signaling can be attenuated by α 2 R activation without interfering with antidepressant-like effects. The ability to reduce potential side effects of 5-HT 2A activation while preserving antidepressant-like effects via α 2 R and other analogous receptors may be relevant to therapeutic development.