Serotonin-based psychedelics cause unique changes in energy use and coordination in rat brain systems

All three drugs produce distinct acute patterns of brain activity, with drug-specific alterations in neural networks.

• Psilocybin, LSD, and 2C-B were assessed for their effects on brain metabolic activity using [18F]FDG-PET in rats.
• Each psychedelic caused different acute changes in specific brain networks associated with mood and cognition.
• LSD resulted in hypometabolic activity in the retrosplenial and hippocampal regions.
• A hypermetabolic cluster specific to 2C-B was observed in the midbrain.
• One week post-administration, both LSD and psilocybin showed modest hypometabolism in cortical, limbic, and midbrain areas, while 2C-B did not.

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