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How psychedelics affect the brain
Updated
Abstract
Psychedelics are serotonin 2A receptor agonists that can lead to profound changes in perception, cognition, and mood.
- Psychedelics operate through diverse psychoactive molecules that vary in potency and how they are processed in the body.
- Serotonin receptors play a crucial role in the effects of psychedelics, influencing various molecular signaling pathways.
- Psychedelics may alter neuronal activity patterns in multiple brain regions, affecting how neurons communicate.
- Transcriptional changes induced by psychedelics could lead to long-lasting modifications in brain structure.
- Neuroimaging studies indicate that psychedelics impact functional connectivity within brain areas involved in higher cognitive functions.
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