#5ht2a — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #5ht2a, aggregated by home.social.
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DATE: July 20, 2026 at 10:44AM
SOURCE: PSYCHIATRIC TIMESDirect article link at end of text block below.
The FDA has granted Fast Track designation to remlifanserin, an investigational, highly selective, 5-HT2A receptor inverse agonist for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions associated with Alzheimer disease psychosis. @AcadiaPharma https://t.co/1wTGeNYazw
Here are any URLs found in the article text:
Articles can be found by scrolling down the page at Articles can be found at https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/news".
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Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
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#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #psychotherapist #FDA #FastTrack #AlzheimerDisease #psychosis #5HT2A
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DATE: July 20, 2026 at 10:44AM
SOURCE: PSYCHIATRIC TIMESDirect article link at end of text block below.
The FDA has granted Fast Track designation to remlifanserin, an investigational, highly selective, 5-HT2A receptor inverse agonist for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions associated with Alzheimer disease psychosis. @AcadiaPharma https://t.co/1wTGeNYazw
Here are any URLs found in the article text:
Articles can be found by scrolling down the page at Articles can be found at https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/news".
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #psychotherapist #FDA #FastTrack #AlzheimerDisease #psychosis #5HT2A
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DATE: July 18, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Brain scans reveal how LSD desynchronizes local neural activity to alter consciousness
A new analysis of brain imaging data reveals that lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD, reduces the synchronization of local brain activity to produce its mind-altering effects. Published in the European Journal of Neuroscience, the research suggests the hallucinogenic drug interacts with a wider array of brain receptors than previously assumed. These insights help map the biological mechanisms underlying altered states of consciousness and could inform future therapeutic uses of psychedelics.
Over the past decade, medical researchers have renewed their focus on classic psychedelic drugs as potential treatments for psychiatric conditions. Compounds like LSD and psilocybin produce profound changes in perception, mood, and thought. Researchers largely attribute these effects to how the chemical binds to a specific type of serotonin receptor in the brain. But the drug structurally mimics several other chemical messengers, including dopamine and different subtypes of serotonin.
Paolo La-Torraca-Vittori, a researcher at the University of Pavia, and Livio Tarchi of the University of Florence led the current investigation. They aimed to fill a gap in current neuroimaging literature. Most brain scans of people on psychedelics look at large-scale, long-distance communication between widespread brain networks. Few studies have examined what happens to the tiny, localized clusters of brain cells when someone is under the influence of LSD.
The research team focused on two specific metrics that measure the resting state of the brain. The first metric captures the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations. This assesses the power of slow, spontaneous brain waves in a very localized area. When a person is resting, their brain usually produces stable, low-frequency rhythms. A drop in this amplitude means the brain activity is becoming noisier, faster, and more desynchronized.
The second metric evaluates regional homogeneity. This assesses how well a tiny patch of brain tissue synchronizes its electrical activity with its immediate neighboring cells. High regional homogeneity indicates that a small cluster of neurons is firing together in unison. A drop in regional homogeneity suggests that local neurons are operating independently of one another.
To explain why this matters, scientists point to the entropic brain hypothesis. Entropy is a physics concept related to disorder and randomness. In neuroscience, higher entropy means a richer, less predictable pattern of brain states. The entropic brain hypothesis proposes that psychedelics push the brain into a state of higher entropy, increasing disorder in a way that allows for more flexible and dynamic thought processes.
The investigators utilized an open-access database containing the brain scans of 15 healthy adults. Because it involved fewer than 50 participants, this was a small study. During the original data collection, each participant underwent two brain scanning sessions held at least two weeks apart. On one day, they received an intravenous saline placebo. On the other day, they received a moderate, hallucinogenic dose of LSD.
The scanning took place roughly an hour after the drug was administered, capturing the peak of the psychedelic experience. The participants rested inside the scanner with their eyes closed. The scanning device tracked changes in blood flow to map neural activity. La-Torraca-Vittori, Tarchi, and their colleagues computed the two localized metrics for both the placebo and the LSD states. The researchers then overlaid these results onto established brain maps showing the typical distribution of various chemical receptors.
The analysis revealed widespread reductions in both the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations and regional homogeneity when participants were under the influence of LSD. These drops were particularly pronounced in the visual and somatosensory cortices, the brain areas that process sight and incoming touch. The researchers noted that this local fragmentation forces the brain to abandon its normal hierarchical processing setup.
Normally, the human brain operates in a strict functional hierarchy. Sensory regions process basic inputs and then send that data up the chain to associative regions, which interpret the information. Under LSD, this structured hierarchy flattens. Instead of local clusters processing sensory information in specialized silos, the brain integrates information broadly across the entire cortex, blending visual and physical sensations.
The two metrics also highlighted distinct changes in other brain regions. The low-frequency fluctuation metric dropped heavily in areas associated with the default mode network. This network is a group of brain areas active during passive rest, daydreaming, and self-reflection. Disruptions in this network are strongly associated with the breakdown of the conscious self commonly reported by users of psychedelics.
At the same time, regional homogeneity decreased notably in deep subcortical regions like the thalamus and amygdala. These structures act as central hubs for sensory relay and emotional processing. When local synchronization drops in these relay centers, it likely changes how sensory information gets routed to the rest of the brain.
When linking these functional changes to brain chemistry, the team found robust correlations that expanded beyond the primary target of LSD. As expected, some localization related to the primary 5-HT2A serotonin receptor. Yet the drops in both brain metrics consistently mirrored the distribution patterns of dopamine D2 receptors and an alternative serotonin receptor known as 5-HT1A.
A receptor is a protein structure on the surface of a cell that receives chemical signals. When a chemical locks into a receptor, it triggers a biological response inside the cell. Brain areas with fewer of these specific dopamine and serotonin receptors experienced the greatest decreases in local synchronization and low-frequency rhythms under LSD.
This alignment dictates that LSD initiates a cascade of neurochemical events spanning multiple messenger systems. The authors suggest that regions enriched with certain dopamine and serotonin receptors might actually be shielded from the desynchronizing effects of the drug. Alternatively, the drug might indirectly activate these adjacent pathways, leading to the varied sensory and emotional shifts that characterize the experience.
While the data offers new perspectives on the physical mechanics of psychedelics, the researchers acknowledged several limitations. The analysis relied on a small sample size, requiring replication in broader populations to ensure the ultimate reliability of the findings. The team also used standardized maps of receptor density from a general population rather than maps of the actual participants’ brains, which limits the precision of the chemical correlations.
In addition, the resting scans analyzed in this project took place after a music-listening session. The researchers caution that the lingering emotional or neurological effects of listening to music could have shaped the resting state data independently of the chemical infusion. A slight difference in head motion between the placebo and LSD groups remained even after data filtering, leaving open the possibility of minor scanning artifacts.
Future investigations will likely compare these localized measures with other brain monitoring technologies. By mapping both the physical location and the precise timing of these neural changes, scientists hope to fully decode how altered brain chemistry reshapes the human mind. The exploration of localized dynamics offers a key stepping stone toward developing safe, targeted psychedelic therapies in the future.
The study, “Knocking at the Doors of Perception: Relating LSD Effects on Low-Frequency Fluctuations and Regional Homogeneity to Receptor Densities in fMRI,” was authored by Paolo La-Torraca-Vittori, Livio Tarchi, Elisa Arrigo, Stefano Lanterna, Eleonora Tosi, Arne Doose, Fulvia Palesi, Doris Pischedda, Valdo Ricca, Paolo Fusar-Poli, and Stefano Damiani.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #LSD BrainImaging #PsychedelicResearch #Neuroscience #BrainConnectivity #LowFrequencyFluctuations #RegionalHomogeneity #5HT2A #DopamineD2 #ConsciousnessAlteration #PsychedelicTherapy
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DATE: July 18, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Brain scans reveal how LSD desynchronizes local neural activity to alter consciousness
A new analysis of brain imaging data reveals that lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD, reduces the synchronization of local brain activity to produce its mind-altering effects. Published in the European Journal of Neuroscience, the research suggests the hallucinogenic drug interacts with a wider array of brain receptors than previously assumed. These insights help map the biological mechanisms underlying altered states of consciousness and could inform future therapeutic uses of psychedelics.
Over the past decade, medical researchers have renewed their focus on classic psychedelic drugs as potential treatments for psychiatric conditions. Compounds like LSD and psilocybin produce profound changes in perception, mood, and thought. Researchers largely attribute these effects to how the chemical binds to a specific type of serotonin receptor in the brain. But the drug structurally mimics several other chemical messengers, including dopamine and different subtypes of serotonin.
Paolo La-Torraca-Vittori, a researcher at the University of Pavia, and Livio Tarchi of the University of Florence led the current investigation. They aimed to fill a gap in current neuroimaging literature. Most brain scans of people on psychedelics look at large-scale, long-distance communication between widespread brain networks. Few studies have examined what happens to the tiny, localized clusters of brain cells when someone is under the influence of LSD.
The research team focused on two specific metrics that measure the resting state of the brain. The first metric captures the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations. This assesses the power of slow, spontaneous brain waves in a very localized area. When a person is resting, their brain usually produces stable, low-frequency rhythms. A drop in this amplitude means the brain activity is becoming noisier, faster, and more desynchronized.
The second metric evaluates regional homogeneity. This assesses how well a tiny patch of brain tissue synchronizes its electrical activity with its immediate neighboring cells. High regional homogeneity indicates that a small cluster of neurons is firing together in unison. A drop in regional homogeneity suggests that local neurons are operating independently of one another.
To explain why this matters, scientists point to the entropic brain hypothesis. Entropy is a physics concept related to disorder and randomness. In neuroscience, higher entropy means a richer, less predictable pattern of brain states. The entropic brain hypothesis proposes that psychedelics push the brain into a state of higher entropy, increasing disorder in a way that allows for more flexible and dynamic thought processes.
The investigators utilized an open-access database containing the brain scans of 15 healthy adults. Because it involved fewer than 50 participants, this was a small study. During the original data collection, each participant underwent two brain scanning sessions held at least two weeks apart. On one day, they received an intravenous saline placebo. On the other day, they received a moderate, hallucinogenic dose of LSD.
The scanning took place roughly an hour after the drug was administered, capturing the peak of the psychedelic experience. The participants rested inside the scanner with their eyes closed. The scanning device tracked changes in blood flow to map neural activity. La-Torraca-Vittori, Tarchi, and their colleagues computed the two localized metrics for both the placebo and the LSD states. The researchers then overlaid these results onto established brain maps showing the typical distribution of various chemical receptors.
The analysis revealed widespread reductions in both the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations and regional homogeneity when participants were under the influence of LSD. These drops were particularly pronounced in the visual and somatosensory cortices, the brain areas that process sight and incoming touch. The researchers noted that this local fragmentation forces the brain to abandon its normal hierarchical processing setup.
Normally, the human brain operates in a strict functional hierarchy. Sensory regions process basic inputs and then send that data up the chain to associative regions, which interpret the information. Under LSD, this structured hierarchy flattens. Instead of local clusters processing sensory information in specialized silos, the brain integrates information broadly across the entire cortex, blending visual and physical sensations.
The two metrics also highlighted distinct changes in other brain regions. The low-frequency fluctuation metric dropped heavily in areas associated with the default mode network. This network is a group of brain areas active during passive rest, daydreaming, and self-reflection. Disruptions in this network are strongly associated with the breakdown of the conscious self commonly reported by users of psychedelics.
At the same time, regional homogeneity decreased notably in deep subcortical regions like the thalamus and amygdala. These structures act as central hubs for sensory relay and emotional processing. When local synchronization drops in these relay centers, it likely changes how sensory information gets routed to the rest of the brain.
When linking these functional changes to brain chemistry, the team found robust correlations that expanded beyond the primary target of LSD. As expected, some localization related to the primary 5-HT2A serotonin receptor. Yet the drops in both brain metrics consistently mirrored the distribution patterns of dopamine D2 receptors and an alternative serotonin receptor known as 5-HT1A.
A receptor is a protein structure on the surface of a cell that receives chemical signals. When a chemical locks into a receptor, it triggers a biological response inside the cell. Brain areas with fewer of these specific dopamine and serotonin receptors experienced the greatest decreases in local synchronization and low-frequency rhythms under LSD.
This alignment dictates that LSD initiates a cascade of neurochemical events spanning multiple messenger systems. The authors suggest that regions enriched with certain dopamine and serotonin receptors might actually be shielded from the desynchronizing effects of the drug. Alternatively, the drug might indirectly activate these adjacent pathways, leading to the varied sensory and emotional shifts that characterize the experience.
While the data offers new perspectives on the physical mechanics of psychedelics, the researchers acknowledged several limitations. The analysis relied on a small sample size, requiring replication in broader populations to ensure the ultimate reliability of the findings. The team also used standardized maps of receptor density from a general population rather than maps of the actual participants’ brains, which limits the precision of the chemical correlations.
In addition, the resting scans analyzed in this project took place after a music-listening session. The researchers caution that the lingering emotional or neurological effects of listening to music could have shaped the resting state data independently of the chemical infusion. A slight difference in head motion between the placebo and LSD groups remained even after data filtering, leaving open the possibility of minor scanning artifacts.
Future investigations will likely compare these localized measures with other brain monitoring technologies. By mapping both the physical location and the precise timing of these neural changes, scientists hope to fully decode how altered brain chemistry reshapes the human mind. The exploration of localized dynamics offers a key stepping stone toward developing safe, targeted psychedelic therapies in the future.
The study, “Knocking at the Doors of Perception: Relating LSD Effects on Low-Frequency Fluctuations and Regional Homogeneity to Receptor Densities in fMRI,” was authored by Paolo La-Torraca-Vittori, Livio Tarchi, Elisa Arrigo, Stefano Lanterna, Eleonora Tosi, Arne Doose, Fulvia Palesi, Doris Pischedda, Valdo Ricca, Paolo Fusar-Poli, and Stefano Damiani.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #LSD BrainImaging #PsychedelicResearch #Neuroscience #BrainConnectivity #LowFrequencyFluctuations #RegionalHomogeneity #5HT2A #DopamineD2 #ConsciousnessAlteration #PsychedelicTherapy
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DATE: July 18, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Brain scans reveal how LSD desynchronizes local neural activity to alter consciousness
A new analysis of brain imaging data reveals that lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD, reduces the synchronization of local brain activity to produce its mind-altering effects. Published in the European Journal of Neuroscience, the research suggests the hallucinogenic drug interacts with a wider array of brain receptors than previously assumed. These insights help map the biological mechanisms underlying altered states of consciousness and could inform future therapeutic uses of psychedelics.
Over the past decade, medical researchers have renewed their focus on classic psychedelic drugs as potential treatments for psychiatric conditions. Compounds like LSD and psilocybin produce profound changes in perception, mood, and thought. Researchers largely attribute these effects to how the chemical binds to a specific type of serotonin receptor in the brain. But the drug structurally mimics several other chemical messengers, including dopamine and different subtypes of serotonin.
Paolo La-Torraca-Vittori, a researcher at the University of Pavia, and Livio Tarchi of the University of Florence led the current investigation. They aimed to fill a gap in current neuroimaging literature. Most brain scans of people on psychedelics look at large-scale, long-distance communication between widespread brain networks. Few studies have examined what happens to the tiny, localized clusters of brain cells when someone is under the influence of LSD.
The research team focused on two specific metrics that measure the resting state of the brain. The first metric captures the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations. This assesses the power of slow, spontaneous brain waves in a very localized area. When a person is resting, their brain usually produces stable, low-frequency rhythms. A drop in this amplitude means the brain activity is becoming noisier, faster, and more desynchronized.
The second metric evaluates regional homogeneity. This assesses how well a tiny patch of brain tissue synchronizes its electrical activity with its immediate neighboring cells. High regional homogeneity indicates that a small cluster of neurons is firing together in unison. A drop in regional homogeneity suggests that local neurons are operating independently of one another.
To explain why this matters, scientists point to the entropic brain hypothesis. Entropy is a physics concept related to disorder and randomness. In neuroscience, higher entropy means a richer, less predictable pattern of brain states. The entropic brain hypothesis proposes that psychedelics push the brain into a state of higher entropy, increasing disorder in a way that allows for more flexible and dynamic thought processes.
The investigators utilized an open-access database containing the brain scans of 15 healthy adults. Because it involved fewer than 50 participants, this was a small study. During the original data collection, each participant underwent two brain scanning sessions held at least two weeks apart. On one day, they received an intravenous saline placebo. On the other day, they received a moderate, hallucinogenic dose of LSD.
The scanning took place roughly an hour after the drug was administered, capturing the peak of the psychedelic experience. The participants rested inside the scanner with their eyes closed. The scanning device tracked changes in blood flow to map neural activity. La-Torraca-Vittori, Tarchi, and their colleagues computed the two localized metrics for both the placebo and the LSD states. The researchers then overlaid these results onto established brain maps showing the typical distribution of various chemical receptors.
The analysis revealed widespread reductions in both the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations and regional homogeneity when participants were under the influence of LSD. These drops were particularly pronounced in the visual and somatosensory cortices, the brain areas that process sight and incoming touch. The researchers noted that this local fragmentation forces the brain to abandon its normal hierarchical processing setup.
Normally, the human brain operates in a strict functional hierarchy. Sensory regions process basic inputs and then send that data up the chain to associative regions, which interpret the information. Under LSD, this structured hierarchy flattens. Instead of local clusters processing sensory information in specialized silos, the brain integrates information broadly across the entire cortex, blending visual and physical sensations.
The two metrics also highlighted distinct changes in other brain regions. The low-frequency fluctuation metric dropped heavily in areas associated with the default mode network. This network is a group of brain areas active during passive rest, daydreaming, and self-reflection. Disruptions in this network are strongly associated with the breakdown of the conscious self commonly reported by users of psychedelics.
At the same time, regional homogeneity decreased notably in deep subcortical regions like the thalamus and amygdala. These structures act as central hubs for sensory relay and emotional processing. When local synchronization drops in these relay centers, it likely changes how sensory information gets routed to the rest of the brain.
When linking these functional changes to brain chemistry, the team found robust correlations that expanded beyond the primary target of LSD. As expected, some localization related to the primary 5-HT2A serotonin receptor. Yet the drops in both brain metrics consistently mirrored the distribution patterns of dopamine D2 receptors and an alternative serotonin receptor known as 5-HT1A.
A receptor is a protein structure on the surface of a cell that receives chemical signals. When a chemical locks into a receptor, it triggers a biological response inside the cell. Brain areas with fewer of these specific dopamine and serotonin receptors experienced the greatest decreases in local synchronization and low-frequency rhythms under LSD.
This alignment dictates that LSD initiates a cascade of neurochemical events spanning multiple messenger systems. The authors suggest that regions enriched with certain dopamine and serotonin receptors might actually be shielded from the desynchronizing effects of the drug. Alternatively, the drug might indirectly activate these adjacent pathways, leading to the varied sensory and emotional shifts that characterize the experience.
While the data offers new perspectives on the physical mechanics of psychedelics, the researchers acknowledged several limitations. The analysis relied on a small sample size, requiring replication in broader populations to ensure the ultimate reliability of the findings. The team also used standardized maps of receptor density from a general population rather than maps of the actual participants’ brains, which limits the precision of the chemical correlations.
In addition, the resting scans analyzed in this project took place after a music-listening session. The researchers caution that the lingering emotional or neurological effects of listening to music could have shaped the resting state data independently of the chemical infusion. A slight difference in head motion between the placebo and LSD groups remained even after data filtering, leaving open the possibility of minor scanning artifacts.
Future investigations will likely compare these localized measures with other brain monitoring technologies. By mapping both the physical location and the precise timing of these neural changes, scientists hope to fully decode how altered brain chemistry reshapes the human mind. The exploration of localized dynamics offers a key stepping stone toward developing safe, targeted psychedelic therapies in the future.
The study, “Knocking at the Doors of Perception: Relating LSD Effects on Low-Frequency Fluctuations and Regional Homogeneity to Receptor Densities in fMRI,” was authored by Paolo La-Torraca-Vittori, Livio Tarchi, Elisa Arrigo, Stefano Lanterna, Eleonora Tosi, Arne Doose, Fulvia Palesi, Doris Pischedda, Valdo Ricca, Paolo Fusar-Poli, and Stefano Damiani.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #LSD BrainImaging #PsychedelicResearch #Neuroscience #BrainConnectivity #LowFrequencyFluctuations #RegionalHomogeneity #5HT2A #DopamineD2 #ConsciousnessAlteration #PsychedelicTherapy
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DATE: July 13, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: How LSD reshapes brain circuitry to blur the lines between perception and thought
A recent small study analyzes how the psychedelic drug LSD reshapes brain activity. The research shows that the substance boosts widespread neural synchronization while blurring the boundaries between sensory perception and abstract thought. Through computer modeling and brain scans, researchers found that LSD alters the balance of excitement and inhibition in specific brain circuits, potentially pulling the mind out of entrenched patterns. The findings were published in PLOS Computational Biology.
Psychedelics are seeing a resurgence in psychiatric research. Clinical trials suggest these substances hold potential for assisting in the treatment of conditions like depression, anxiety, and addiction. Mental health disorders often involve rigid, stubborn patterns of thinking. Psychedelic compounds seem to induce the opposite effect, introducing temporary flexibility to brain activity.
To understand how a drug can drastically alter human consciousness, scientists look at how different networks function in the brain. Even when a person is resting, regions of the brain constantly communicate. Distinct networks process everything from simple sensory inputs, like touch and sight, to abstract cognitive tasks, like self-reflection and attention.
Healthy brain function relies on a delicate seesaw effect known as the excitatory and inhibitory balance. Excitatory neurons act like a biological accelerator, sending electrical signals that encourage other neurons to fire. Inhibitory neurons act like the brakes, preventing overactivity and keeping the system organized.
Lingyu Zhang, a researcher at the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, alongside colleagues across several other institutions, wanted to map how this balance changes under the influence of LSD. Measuring the exact chemical equilibrium directly in a living human brain is incredibly difficult with current noninvasive technology. To get around this limitation, the research team turned to computational modeling coupled with neuroimaging data.
The researchers utilized an existing data set from a small study of 15 healthy adults. During the original experiment, participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging. This type of brain scan measures changes in blood flow over time, allowing researchers to detect which areas of the brain are highly active. Each person received two scans on separate days, one occurring after an injection of a placebo, and the other occurring after an intravenous dose of LSD.
Zhang and the research team took this scanning data and looked for patterns of synchronization. They wanted to see if the rhythmic waves of activity in different brain regions peaked and dipped at the exact same moment. Phase synchronization occurs when multiple regions align their rhythms. The researchers grouped these synchronized moments together to categorize distinct brain states.
Under the placebo condition, the brain hopped smoothly between various modular states. Some of these states were dedicated purely to processing sensory information. Other states were tied strictly to the default mode network, which is a group of associative brain regions dealing with mind wandering, memories, and an individual’s sense of self.
When participants took LSD, their brain dynamics shifted in a profound manner. The researchers found that LSD enhanced global brain synchrony. Instead of operating in segregated, independent networks, the entire brain was much more likely to fire together in a unified state.
This highly synchronized global state seemed to act like a magnet, drawing the brain away from its compartmentalized routines. The probability of the brain transitioning from this unified state back into specialized cognitive control networks was markedly reduced. Due to the limited sample size, some minute differences in transition probabilities between minor states were not statistically significant. However, the overarching trend toward increased global synchrony remained visible.
To understand the hidden machinery behind this shift, the researchers built a dynamic computer simulation. They combined the brain scan data with detailed maps of structural connections in the human brain. This allowed the team to calculate the estimated ratio of excitation to inhibition in tiny neural circuits across the entire cerebral cortex.
The computer model revealed that LSD alters the brain’s internal chemical balance, doing so unevenly. The drug affects regions responsible for basic sensory perception quite differently than it affects regions responsible for abstract thought.
In areas of the brain related to sensory and motor processing, the model showed a sharp drop in the excitatory-to-inhibitory ratio. The biological brakes became much stronger in these regions. This chemical shift suppresses how tenaciously the brain anchors itself to external sensory inputs.
Conversely, the model estimated that the activation ratio increased in associative brain regions. Taking off the brakes in these abstract processing centers could make neurons uncharacteristically active. The researchers suggest this neural remodeling fosters cognitive flexibility, allowing participants to experience intense introspection.
By turning down sensory areas and dialing up abstract areas, LSD essentially levels the playing field between the two. The strict boundaries that usually separate concrete perception from abstract cognition begin to dissolve. This physiological mechanism aligns closely with the subjective experiences often reported by users of psychedelics, such as a dissolving sense of self and an altered perception of the world.
The team also discovered that the sensory and motor cortices might serve as primary drivers for these brain-wide changes. The suppression of these early sensory pathways appears to cascade upward. This disruption travels up the hierarchy of the brain, scattering the higher-order networks that typically impose order on human cognition.
Psychedelics are known to bind to a specific type of serotonin receptor in the brain, known as the 5-HT2A receptor. This receptor triggers chemical chain reactions that can alter the release of glutamate, which serves as the brain’s primary excitatory neurotransmitter. The researchers noted that their computer model’s map of altered excitement and inhibition closely overlapped with known anatomical maps of serotonin and glutamate receptors.
This theoretical overlap hints at the biological mechanism at play. The LSD binds to serotonin receptors, which in turn manipulate the excitatory neurotransmitters at localized points in the sensory cortex. The ripple effect ultimately changes the entire brain’s operational rhythm, forcing it out of rigid habits.
The authors pointed out several limitations to their analysis that warrant caution. Because this original data set came from a small study, larger clinical trials will be necessary to confirm the results. Expanding the participant pool would help ensure the findings apply reliably to the broader population.
The research focused exclusively on the cerebral cortex, which is the brain’s wrinkled outer layer. The computational models did not include deeper subcortical structures like the thalamus. The thalamus acts as a major relay station for sensory information. Previous research suggests this region plays a vital role in how hallucinogens affect the mind, meaning future studies will need to incorporate it to provide a complete picture.
The study also did not match the brain scanning data with subjective psychological questionnaires from the participants. The researchers noted that future investigations should explore how these measured changes in brain connectivity correlate with a person’s specific emotional or perceptual experiences. Learning exactly how the loss of sensory anchoring matches an individual’s reported hallucinations would bring science one step closer to practical therapeutic applications.
The study, “Lysergic acid diethylamide-derived excitatory/inhibitory ratio change enhances global synchrony in functional brain dynamics,” was authored by Lingyu Zhang, Weiyang Shi, Ziyang Zhao, Zhichao Wang, Congying Chu, Bokai Zhao, Jiaqi Zhang, Qianhui Liu, Yueheng Lan, and Tianzi Jiang.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #LSD #psychedelics #brainnetworks #neuroscience #global synchrony #excitatoryinhibitorybalance #5HT2A #neuroimaging #cognition #perceptionandthought
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DATE: July 13, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: How LSD reshapes brain circuitry to blur the lines between perception and thought
A recent small study analyzes how the psychedelic drug LSD reshapes brain activity. The research shows that the substance boosts widespread neural synchronization while blurring the boundaries between sensory perception and abstract thought. Through computer modeling and brain scans, researchers found that LSD alters the balance of excitement and inhibition in specific brain circuits, potentially pulling the mind out of entrenched patterns. The findings were published in PLOS Computational Biology.
Psychedelics are seeing a resurgence in psychiatric research. Clinical trials suggest these substances hold potential for assisting in the treatment of conditions like depression, anxiety, and addiction. Mental health disorders often involve rigid, stubborn patterns of thinking. Psychedelic compounds seem to induce the opposite effect, introducing temporary flexibility to brain activity.
To understand how a drug can drastically alter human consciousness, scientists look at how different networks function in the brain. Even when a person is resting, regions of the brain constantly communicate. Distinct networks process everything from simple sensory inputs, like touch and sight, to abstract cognitive tasks, like self-reflection and attention.
Healthy brain function relies on a delicate seesaw effect known as the excitatory and inhibitory balance. Excitatory neurons act like a biological accelerator, sending electrical signals that encourage other neurons to fire. Inhibitory neurons act like the brakes, preventing overactivity and keeping the system organized.
Lingyu Zhang, a researcher at the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, alongside colleagues across several other institutions, wanted to map how this balance changes under the influence of LSD. Measuring the exact chemical equilibrium directly in a living human brain is incredibly difficult with current noninvasive technology. To get around this limitation, the research team turned to computational modeling coupled with neuroimaging data.
The researchers utilized an existing data set from a small study of 15 healthy adults. During the original experiment, participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging. This type of brain scan measures changes in blood flow over time, allowing researchers to detect which areas of the brain are highly active. Each person received two scans on separate days, one occurring after an injection of a placebo, and the other occurring after an intravenous dose of LSD.
Zhang and the research team took this scanning data and looked for patterns of synchronization. They wanted to see if the rhythmic waves of activity in different brain regions peaked and dipped at the exact same moment. Phase synchronization occurs when multiple regions align their rhythms. The researchers grouped these synchronized moments together to categorize distinct brain states.
Under the placebo condition, the brain hopped smoothly between various modular states. Some of these states were dedicated purely to processing sensory information. Other states were tied strictly to the default mode network, which is a group of associative brain regions dealing with mind wandering, memories, and an individual’s sense of self.
When participants took LSD, their brain dynamics shifted in a profound manner. The researchers found that LSD enhanced global brain synchrony. Instead of operating in segregated, independent networks, the entire brain was much more likely to fire together in a unified state.
This highly synchronized global state seemed to act like a magnet, drawing the brain away from its compartmentalized routines. The probability of the brain transitioning from this unified state back into specialized cognitive control networks was markedly reduced. Due to the limited sample size, some minute differences in transition probabilities between minor states were not statistically significant. However, the overarching trend toward increased global synchrony remained visible.
To understand the hidden machinery behind this shift, the researchers built a dynamic computer simulation. They combined the brain scan data with detailed maps of structural connections in the human brain. This allowed the team to calculate the estimated ratio of excitation to inhibition in tiny neural circuits across the entire cerebral cortex.
The computer model revealed that LSD alters the brain’s internal chemical balance, doing so unevenly. The drug affects regions responsible for basic sensory perception quite differently than it affects regions responsible for abstract thought.
In areas of the brain related to sensory and motor processing, the model showed a sharp drop in the excitatory-to-inhibitory ratio. The biological brakes became much stronger in these regions. This chemical shift suppresses how tenaciously the brain anchors itself to external sensory inputs.
Conversely, the model estimated that the activation ratio increased in associative brain regions. Taking off the brakes in these abstract processing centers could make neurons uncharacteristically active. The researchers suggest this neural remodeling fosters cognitive flexibility, allowing participants to experience intense introspection.
By turning down sensory areas and dialing up abstract areas, LSD essentially levels the playing field between the two. The strict boundaries that usually separate concrete perception from abstract cognition begin to dissolve. This physiological mechanism aligns closely with the subjective experiences often reported by users of psychedelics, such as a dissolving sense of self and an altered perception of the world.
The team also discovered that the sensory and motor cortices might serve as primary drivers for these brain-wide changes. The suppression of these early sensory pathways appears to cascade upward. This disruption travels up the hierarchy of the brain, scattering the higher-order networks that typically impose order on human cognition.
Psychedelics are known to bind to a specific type of serotonin receptor in the brain, known as the 5-HT2A receptor. This receptor triggers chemical chain reactions that can alter the release of glutamate, which serves as the brain’s primary excitatory neurotransmitter. The researchers noted that their computer model’s map of altered excitement and inhibition closely overlapped with known anatomical maps of serotonin and glutamate receptors.
This theoretical overlap hints at the biological mechanism at play. The LSD binds to serotonin receptors, which in turn manipulate the excitatory neurotransmitters at localized points in the sensory cortex. The ripple effect ultimately changes the entire brain’s operational rhythm, forcing it out of rigid habits.
The authors pointed out several limitations to their analysis that warrant caution. Because this original data set came from a small study, larger clinical trials will be necessary to confirm the results. Expanding the participant pool would help ensure the findings apply reliably to the broader population.
The research focused exclusively on the cerebral cortex, which is the brain’s wrinkled outer layer. The computational models did not include deeper subcortical structures like the thalamus. The thalamus acts as a major relay station for sensory information. Previous research suggests this region plays a vital role in how hallucinogens affect the mind, meaning future studies will need to incorporate it to provide a complete picture.
The study also did not match the brain scanning data with subjective psychological questionnaires from the participants. The researchers noted that future investigations should explore how these measured changes in brain connectivity correlate with a person’s specific emotional or perceptual experiences. Learning exactly how the loss of sensory anchoring matches an individual’s reported hallucinations would bring science one step closer to practical therapeutic applications.
The study, “Lysergic acid diethylamide-derived excitatory/inhibitory ratio change enhances global synchrony in functional brain dynamics,” was authored by Lingyu Zhang, Weiyang Shi, Ziyang Zhao, Zhichao Wang, Congying Chu, Bokai Zhao, Jiaqi Zhang, Qianhui Liu, Yueheng Lan, and Tianzi Jiang.
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DATE: July 13, 2026 at 06:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: How LSD reshapes brain circuitry to blur the lines between perception and thought
A recent small study analyzes how the psychedelic drug LSD reshapes brain activity. The research shows that the substance boosts widespread neural synchronization while blurring the boundaries between sensory perception and abstract thought. Through computer modeling and brain scans, researchers found that LSD alters the balance of excitement and inhibition in specific brain circuits, potentially pulling the mind out of entrenched patterns. The findings were published in PLOS Computational Biology.
Psychedelics are seeing a resurgence in psychiatric research. Clinical trials suggest these substances hold potential for assisting in the treatment of conditions like depression, anxiety, and addiction. Mental health disorders often involve rigid, stubborn patterns of thinking. Psychedelic compounds seem to induce the opposite effect, introducing temporary flexibility to brain activity.
To understand how a drug can drastically alter human consciousness, scientists look at how different networks function in the brain. Even when a person is resting, regions of the brain constantly communicate. Distinct networks process everything from simple sensory inputs, like touch and sight, to abstract cognitive tasks, like self-reflection and attention.
Healthy brain function relies on a delicate seesaw effect known as the excitatory and inhibitory balance. Excitatory neurons act like a biological accelerator, sending electrical signals that encourage other neurons to fire. Inhibitory neurons act like the brakes, preventing overactivity and keeping the system organized.
Lingyu Zhang, a researcher at the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, alongside colleagues across several other institutions, wanted to map how this balance changes under the influence of LSD. Measuring the exact chemical equilibrium directly in a living human brain is incredibly difficult with current noninvasive technology. To get around this limitation, the research team turned to computational modeling coupled with neuroimaging data.
The researchers utilized an existing data set from a small study of 15 healthy adults. During the original experiment, participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging. This type of brain scan measures changes in blood flow over time, allowing researchers to detect which areas of the brain are highly active. Each person received two scans on separate days, one occurring after an injection of a placebo, and the other occurring after an intravenous dose of LSD.
Zhang and the research team took this scanning data and looked for patterns of synchronization. They wanted to see if the rhythmic waves of activity in different brain regions peaked and dipped at the exact same moment. Phase synchronization occurs when multiple regions align their rhythms. The researchers grouped these synchronized moments together to categorize distinct brain states.
Under the placebo condition, the brain hopped smoothly between various modular states. Some of these states were dedicated purely to processing sensory information. Other states were tied strictly to the default mode network, which is a group of associative brain regions dealing with mind wandering, memories, and an individual’s sense of self.
When participants took LSD, their brain dynamics shifted in a profound manner. The researchers found that LSD enhanced global brain synchrony. Instead of operating in segregated, independent networks, the entire brain was much more likely to fire together in a unified state.
This highly synchronized global state seemed to act like a magnet, drawing the brain away from its compartmentalized routines. The probability of the brain transitioning from this unified state back into specialized cognitive control networks was markedly reduced. Due to the limited sample size, some minute differences in transition probabilities between minor states were not statistically significant. However, the overarching trend toward increased global synchrony remained visible.
To understand the hidden machinery behind this shift, the researchers built a dynamic computer simulation. They combined the brain scan data with detailed maps of structural connections in the human brain. This allowed the team to calculate the estimated ratio of excitation to inhibition in tiny neural circuits across the entire cerebral cortex.
The computer model revealed that LSD alters the brain’s internal chemical balance, doing so unevenly. The drug affects regions responsible for basic sensory perception quite differently than it affects regions responsible for abstract thought.
In areas of the brain related to sensory and motor processing, the model showed a sharp drop in the excitatory-to-inhibitory ratio. The biological brakes became much stronger in these regions. This chemical shift suppresses how tenaciously the brain anchors itself to external sensory inputs.
Conversely, the model estimated that the activation ratio increased in associative brain regions. Taking off the brakes in these abstract processing centers could make neurons uncharacteristically active. The researchers suggest this neural remodeling fosters cognitive flexibility, allowing participants to experience intense introspection.
By turning down sensory areas and dialing up abstract areas, LSD essentially levels the playing field between the two. The strict boundaries that usually separate concrete perception from abstract cognition begin to dissolve. This physiological mechanism aligns closely with the subjective experiences often reported by users of psychedelics, such as a dissolving sense of self and an altered perception of the world.
The team also discovered that the sensory and motor cortices might serve as primary drivers for these brain-wide changes. The suppression of these early sensory pathways appears to cascade upward. This disruption travels up the hierarchy of the brain, scattering the higher-order networks that typically impose order on human cognition.
Psychedelics are known to bind to a specific type of serotonin receptor in the brain, known as the 5-HT2A receptor. This receptor triggers chemical chain reactions that can alter the release of glutamate, which serves as the brain’s primary excitatory neurotransmitter. The researchers noted that their computer model’s map of altered excitement and inhibition closely overlapped with known anatomical maps of serotonin and glutamate receptors.
This theoretical overlap hints at the biological mechanism at play. The LSD binds to serotonin receptors, which in turn manipulate the excitatory neurotransmitters at localized points in the sensory cortex. The ripple effect ultimately changes the entire brain’s operational rhythm, forcing it out of rigid habits.
The authors pointed out several limitations to their analysis that warrant caution. Because this original data set came from a small study, larger clinical trials will be necessary to confirm the results. Expanding the participant pool would help ensure the findings apply reliably to the broader population.
The research focused exclusively on the cerebral cortex, which is the brain’s wrinkled outer layer. The computational models did not include deeper subcortical structures like the thalamus. The thalamus acts as a major relay station for sensory information. Previous research suggests this region plays a vital role in how hallucinogens affect the mind, meaning future studies will need to incorporate it to provide a complete picture.
The study also did not match the brain scanning data with subjective psychological questionnaires from the participants. The researchers noted that future investigations should explore how these measured changes in brain connectivity correlate with a person’s specific emotional or perceptual experiences. Learning exactly how the loss of sensory anchoring matches an individual’s reported hallucinations would bring science one step closer to practical therapeutic applications.
The study, “Lysergic acid diethylamide-derived excitatory/inhibitory ratio change enhances global synchrony in functional brain dynamics,” was authored by Lingyu Zhang, Weiyang Shi, Ziyang Zhao, Zhichao Wang, Congying Chu, Bokai Zhao, Jiaqi Zhang, Qianhui Liu, Yueheng Lan, and Tianzi Jiang.
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #LSD #psychedelics #brainnetworks #neuroscience #global synchrony #excitatoryinhibitorybalance #5HT2A #neuroimaging #cognition #perceptionandthought