Psychedelics
UCSF researchers test LSD-based MM120 for generalized anxiety disorder
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UCSF neuroscientist Jennifer Mitchell and collaborators are evaluating MM120, a pharmaceutical form of LSD, as a potential treatment for generalized anxiety disorder. A randomized clinical trial published in JAMA found that a single dose reduced anxiety symptoms versus placebo, with benefits persisting up to 12 weeks in the optimal dose group, according to the study and the drug’s sponsor.
A new review of clinical trials suggests that psychedelics like psilocybin are effective for treating depression but offer no advantage over traditional antidepressants. Researchers accounted for the challenge of blinding in psychedelic studies, where participants can often tell if they received the drug. The findings indicate similar outcomes when compared to unblinded antidepressant trials.
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Researchers report designing and testing five fluorinated, reversible carbamate derivatives of psilocin—psilocybin’s active metabolite—aimed at reducing acute psychedelic-like effects while preserving key serotonin-receptor activity. In experiments in mice, a lead compound labeled 4e produced lower but longer-lasting brain exposure to psilocin-related activity and triggered fewer head-twitch responses than pharmaceutical-grade psilocybin, according to a study in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.
Researchers in Hungary have found that DMT, a natural psychoactive compound, significantly mitigates brain damage from stroke in animal models and cell cultures. The molecule restores the blood-brain barrier and curbs inflammation, potentially complementing current treatments. These discoveries, published in Science Advances, highlight DMT's therapeutic promise amid limited stroke options.