Psychedelics for Mental Health: Translating Preclinical Data Into Clinical Practice

Presenter: Gabriella Gobbi, McGill University

The NIH Workshop on Psychedelics as Therapeutics was conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Presenters for Theme One discuss results of pre-clinical studies, which examine the mechanism(s) of action of psychedelic drugs. The value of the (mouse) head-twitch response to predict the clinical efficacy of psychedelic agents is considered. Presenters report data on serotonin 2A receptors (5HT2A) and discuss whether that single receptor mediates both the mystical and potential therapeutic effects of “classic” psychedelic agents or whether other systems may be involved. Clinical “target engagement” presents correlations of 5HT2A receptor occupancy with mystical experiences and shows how altered brain network connectivity is associated with psychedelic effects. Virtual Workshop, January 12, 2022 - January 13, 2022