2023
Timing is key for behavioural benefits of psychedelics
Woodburn S, Kwan A. Timing is key for behavioural benefits of psychedelics. Nature 2023, 618: 677-678. PMID: 37316593, DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-01869-2.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsHallucinogens5-MeO-DMT modifies innate behaviors and promotes structural neural plasticity in mice
Jefferson S, Gregg I, Dibbs M, Liao C, Wu H, Davoudian P, Woodburn S, Wehrle P, Sprouse J, Sherwood A, Kaye A, Pittenger C, Kwan A. 5-MeO-DMT modifies innate behaviors and promotes structural neural plasticity in mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023, 48: 1257-1266. PMID: 37015972, PMCID: PMC10354037, DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01572-w.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMouse medial frontal cortexEarly phase clinical studiesDendritic spine densityHead-twitch responseDose-dependent increaseStructural neural plasticityMedial frontal cortexSpine densityClinical studiesFrontal cortexLong-term effectsDendritic spinesMental illnessNeural plasticitySpine formationPatient accessSubjective effectsNeural consequencesPotential therapeuticsSerotonergic psychedelicsAnxiety symptomsNeural mechanismsUltrasonic vocalizationsElevated ratesMiceShared and Distinct Brain Regions Targeted for Immediate Early Gene Expression by Ketamine and Psilocybin
Davoudian P, Shao L, Kwan A. Shared and Distinct Brain Regions Targeted for Immediate Early Gene Expression by Ketamine and Psilocybin. ACS Chemical Neuroscience 2023, 14: 468-480. PMID: 36630309, PMCID: PMC9898239, DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00637.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsC-fos expressionBrain regionsNeural plasticityPlasticity-related gene expressionPrimary visual cortexNumerous brain regionsAnterior cingulate cortexExact brain regionsContribution of receptorsDistinct brain regionsImmediate early gene expressionDorsal rapheGlutamatergic receptorsCA1 subfieldSubanesthetic ketamineFemale miceLocus coeruleusInsular cortexSaline controlsTherapeutic effectPsilocybin administrationBasolateral amygdalaLateral habenulaCingulate cortexVisual cortex
2022
Psychedelics and Neural Plasticity: Therapeutic Implications
Grieco S, Castrén E, Knudsen G, Kwan A, Olson D, Zuo Y, Holmes T, Xu X. Psychedelics and Neural Plasticity: Therapeutic Implications. Journal Of Neuroscience 2022, 42: 8439-8449. PMID: 36351821, PMCID: PMC9665925, DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1121-22.2022.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTherapeutic effectNeural plasticityUnmet clinical needFunctional neural plasticityBrain-wide circuitsPsychedelic drugsClinical trialsBasic neuroscience questionsReceptor binding sitesTherapeutic implicationsBrain disordersClinical researchPsychedelic effectsBrain functionClinical needEffects of psychedelicsDrugsNeural mechanismsFuture studiesPsychedelicsGene expressionNeuroscience questionsClinicTrialsThe neural basis of psychedelic action
Kwan A, Olson D, Preller K, Roth B. The neural basis of psychedelic action. Nature Neuroscience 2022, 25: 1407-1419. PMID: 36280799, PMCID: PMC9641582, DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01177-4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSerotonin 2A receptor agonistThalamocortical functional connectivityDownstream molecular signaling pathwaysDrug discoveryMolecular signaling pathwaysReceptor agonistSerotonin receptorsAssociation cortexPsychedelic actionSustained effectSubcortical regionsBasic neurobiologyFunctional connectivityTranscriptional changesPsychoactive moleculesSignaling pathwaysNeural mechanismsStructural plasticityNeural basisPsychedelic drugsChemistryPsychedelicsEnduring effectMoleculesAgonists
2020
A Dendrite-Focused Framework for Understanding the Actions of Ketamine and Psychedelics
Savalia NK, Shao LX, Kwan AC. A Dendrite-Focused Framework for Understanding the Actions of Ketamine and Psychedelics. Trends In Neurosciences 2020, 44: 260-275. PMID: 33358035, PMCID: PMC7990695, DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.11.008.Books