Psychedelic effect of psilocybin/ LSD mediated through 5ht2a + psychedelics increase neuroplasticity!

Mauritio

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This is study underlines what peat has stated before ,namely that the hallucinations of psychedelics are mediated through serotonin.
To be precise it's the 5-HT2a receptor that does that.
And the intensity of the experience actually correlated with 5ht2a receptor occupancy.

"We report for the first time that intake of psilocybin leads to significant 5-HT2AR occupancy in the human brain, and that both psilocin plasma levels and 5-HT2AR occupancy are closely associated with subjective intensity ratings, strongly supporting that stimulation of 5-HT2AR is a key determinant for the psychedelic experience."


Peat has stated before that as soon as theres hallucinations present you start going into serotonergic territory and increased 5ht2a activity. So no hallucinations might mean no or less 5ht2a activation. Which makes microdosing a lot safer for people who have concerns about heart fibrosis.


Many scientists believe that the positive anti depressant and anti-infammatory effects of LSD and psilocybin stem from 5ht2a activation. This is probably also wrong as theres studies showing anti-depressant effects even of a single micro dose (that supposedly activates 5ht2a less)of these chemicals. So there must be another mechanism...

"The main nerves that produce Serotonin are just turned off by LSD and psilocybin , the best known psychedelics. "
- Ray Peat

The study below underlines this as they say theres no existential experience (no trip) necessary. So no trip, less 5ht2a activation ,but still long lasting anti depressant effects from microdosing?

"Our results indicate that classic psychedelics may have therapeutic efficacy that is more persistent than that of ketamine, and also suggest that a subjective existential experience may not be necessary for therapeutic effects."


This very recent study actually offers another MoA for the long lasting effects of LSD, psilocybin and ketamine : increasing neuroplasticity!
Neuroplasticity - Wikipedia

Neuroplasticity is highest in childhood , so taking psychedelics might make people less rigid and more mentally flexible, just like children.
Very interesting theory. So these drugs might rewire the brain in a positive way through making new connections. That would explain the long duration of effects/ the change in the way of thinking, often reported to last for years.
If they increase neuroplasticity maybe they also increase neurogenesis ...

"Taken together, the evidence suggests a potentially shared mechanism wherein both ketamine and SPs may engender rapid neuroplastic effects in a glutamatergic activity-dependent manner. It is postulated that, though distinct, both ketamine and SPs appear to produce acute alterations in cortical network activity that may initially produce psychoactive effects and later produce milder, sustained changes in network efficiency associated with therapeutic response."
 
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Mauritio (or any other), I am wondering what your thoughts are for folks like myself not being able to achieve a therapeutic effect from Psychedelic mushrooms. I had been on antidepressants and anti-psychological drugs for decades before being properly diagnosed with an auto-immune disease. I am off the anti-depressants for quite a few years, but still take Trazadone to sleep at night. My problem is, that I can’t get the positive effects from ingesting mushrooms at a normal dosage, and when I take a handful, I get anxious and depressed. I would be willing to try a different source of psychedelic, but don’t want to waste time and money if it’s just not going to happen for me.
 
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Mauritio

Mauritio

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This is study underlines what peat has stated before ,namely that the hallucinations of psychedelics are mediated through serotonin.
To be precise it's the 5-HT2a receptor that does that.
And the intensity of the experience actually correlated with 5ht2a receptor occupancy.

"We report for the first time that intake of psilocybin leads to significant 5-HT2AR occupancy in the human brain, and that both psilocin plasma levels and 5-HT2AR occupancy are closely associated with subjective intensity ratings, strongly supporting that stimulation of 5-HT2AR is a key determinant for the psychedelic experience."


Peat has stated before that as soon as theres hallucinations present you start going into serotonergic territory and increased 5ht2a activity. So no hallucinations might mean no or less 5ht2a activation. Which makes microdosing a lot safer for people who have concerns about heart fibrosis.


Many scientists believe that the positive anti depressant and anti-infammatory effects of LSD and psilocybin stem from 5ht2a activation. This is probably also wrong as theres studies showing anti-depressant effects even of a single micro dose (that supposedly activates 5ht2a less)of these chemicals. So there must be another mechanism...

"The main nerves that produce Serotonin are just turned off by LSD and psilocybin , the best known psychedelics. "
- Ray Peat

The study below underlines this as they say theres no existential experience (no trip) necessary. So no trip, less 5ht2a activation ,but still long lasting anti depressant effects from microdosing?

"Our results indicate that classic psychedelics may have therapeutic efficacy that is more persistent than that of ketamine, and also suggest that a subjective existential experience may not be necessary for therapeutic effects."


This very recent study actually offers another MoA for the long lasting effects of LSD, psilocybin and ketamine : increasing neuroplasticity!
Neuroplasticity - Wikipedia

Neuroplasticity is highest in childhood , so taking psychedelics might make people less rigid and more mentally flexible, just like children.
Very interesting theory. So these drugs might rewire the brain in a positive way through making new connections. That would explain the long duration of effects/ the change in the way of thinking, often reported to last for years.
If they increase neuroplasticity maybe they also increase neurogenesis ...

"Taken together, the evidence suggests a potentially shared mechanism wherein both ketamine and SPs may engender rapid neuroplastic effects in a glutamatergic activity-dependent manner. It is postulated that, though distinct, both ketamine and SPs appear to produce acute alterations in cortical network activity that may initially produce psychoactive effects and later produce milder, sustained changes in network efficiency associated with therapeutic response."
science is coming closer to the realization that it isn't serotonin (5ht2a in this case) that causes the antidepressant effects of psychedelics!

"Classical psychedelics with 5-hydroxytryptamine-2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonism have rapid antidepressant actions in patients with depression. "

"Both lisuride and (R)-ketamine significantly ameliorated the increased immobility time of forced swimming test, and the decreased dendritic spine density in the prelimbic region of medial prefrontal cortex, CA3 and dentate gyrus of hippocampus of LPS-treated mice. In contrast, DOI [5ht2a agonist] did not improve these changes produced after LPS administration. This study suggests that antidepressant-like effect of lisuride in LPS-treated mice is not associated with 5-HT2AR-related psychedelic effects. It is, therefore, unlikely that 5-HT2AR may play a major role in rapid-acting antidepressant actions of psychedelics although further detailed study is needed."
 
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Mauritio

Mauritio

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Mauritio (or any other), I am wondering what your thoughts are for folks like myself not being able to achieve a therapeutic effect from Psychedelic mushrooms. I had been on antidepressants and anti-psychological drugs for decades before being properly diagnosed with an auto-immune disease. I am off the anti-depressants for quite a few years, but still take Trazadone to sleep at night. My problem is, that I can’t get the positive effects from ingesting mushrooms at a normal dosage, and when I take a handful, I get anxious and depressed. I would be willing to try a different source of psychedelic, but don’t want to waste time and money if it’s just not going to happen for me.
Sorry, just saw the comment.

You might want to try microdosing psychedelics .
Or as per the study above skip the psychedelichs and go for lisuride, which produced a fast acting anti-depressant effect.
 

LadyRae

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@Mauritio @Funnywhensunny
This morning I was listening to Andrew huberman on Joe Rogan and he said that micro dosing does not produce long-term antidepression effects, but that the best effects are from one or two "hero doses". Enough to produce hallucinations for sure. In order to get the anti- depression effects one must consider wearing a blackout mask and listening to "appropriate music".

Huberman was much more open and free in his speech on Rogan, than he is normally on his own podcast

Anyone looking to treat depression with psilocybin, consider listening. Rogan on Spotify. This podcast was just a few days ago.


View: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7zjMM0mw8oIr3VxRX0Tfay?si=gunnEFH7S6aSqTBGfTNLhg
 
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Mauritio

Mauritio

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@Mauritio @Funnywhensunny
This morning I was listening to Andrew huberman on Joe Rogan and he said that micro dosing does not produce long-term antidepression effects, but that the best effects are from one or two "hero doses". Enough to produce hallucinations for sure. In order to get the anti- depression effects one must consider wearing a blackout mask and listening to "appropriate music".

Huberman was much more open and free in his speech on Rogan, than he is normally on his own podcast

Anyone looking to treat depression with psilocybin, consider listening. Rogan on Spotify. This podcast was just a few days ago.


View: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7zjMM0mw8oIr3VxRX0Tfay?si=gunnEFH7S6aSqTBGfTNLhg

Yes, I saw that one. Great podcast. I truly think huberman has good intentions, although he's off on some things IMO.

The anti-depressant effect doesn't show up in the literature (yet), that doesn't mean that it is non-existent. I'm not sure why that is and I havent looked at the literature much.
But there's an ocean of anecdotal evidence that microdosing works for depression , at least for some people.


View: https://www.reddit.com/r/microdosing/comments/o18xk8/microdosing_for_3_months_has_completely_changed/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button



View: https://www.reddit.com/r/microdosing/comments/hq35hg/i_watched_my_daughters_swim_play_and_laugh_today/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button



View: https://www.reddit.com/r/microdosing/comments/ds5eap/life_is_different_when_you_are_not_depressed_i_am/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
 
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Feb 15, 2018
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It’s not uncommon for people who have taken antidepressants for a long time to have elevated serotonin, which mitigates a positive effects of psychedelics.
 
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