What You Need To Know About Psychedelics

Published: June 19, 2019, 3:51 p.m.

  • Psychedelics mimic serotonin and work as 5-HT2A agonists in the brain. They stimulate receptors largely localized in the association cortex.
  • MDMA can help patients with PTSD by damping down emotional responses and so allowing processing of traumatic memories.
  • In patients with treatment-resistant depression, psilocybin increased amygdala activity, which is the opposite effect of SSRIs.