Psychedelics Content

�鶹��ý Researchers Achieve Total Synthesis of Ibogaine

Andy Fell — February 06, 2025 - 10:45am

Ibogaine — a psychoactive plant derivative — has attracted attention for its anti-addictive and anti-depressant properties. But ibogaine is a finite resource, extracted from plants native to Africa like the iboga shrub (Tabernanthe iboga) and the small-fruited voacanga tree (Voacanga africana). Further, its use can lead to irregular heartbeats, introducing safety risks and an overall need to better understand how its molecular structure leads to its biological effects.

Anti-Anxiety and Hallucination-Like Effects of Psychedelics Mediated by Distinct Neural Circuits

Andy Fell — November 14, 2024 - 10:06am

New research suggests that it could be possible to separate treatment from hallucinations when developing new drugs based on psychedelics. The anti-anxiety andhallucination-inducing qualities of psychedelic drugs work through different neural circuits, according to research using a mouse model. The work is published Nov. 15 in Science.

Exploring the Psychedelics Within Us

Andy Fell — October 21, 2024 - 3:00pm

Our bodies are pharmaceutical factories. From the hormones that regulate our blood sugar to the neurotransmitters that act as the body’s natural painkillers, these endogenous — produced within the body — chemicals ensure our functionality and survival.

But did you know that our bodies also naturally produce psychedelics?

In the 1950s, researchers found chemical signatures of N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in mammalian bodies, including in humans.

New Method Tracks How Psychedelics Affect Neurons in Minutes

Andy Fell — August 05, 2024 - 10:22am

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a rapid, noninvasive tool to track the neurons and biomolecules activated in the brain by psychedelic drugs. The protein-based tool, which is called Ca^2+-activated Split-TurboID, or CaST, is described in research published in Nature Methods.

Receptor Location Matters for Psychedelic Drug Effects

Andy Fell — February 16, 2023 - 11:00am

A new study reveals receptor location impacts psychedelic drug effects. Learn how �鶹��ý researchers are exploring implications for mental health treatment.

�鶹��ý Establishes Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics

Andy Fell — February 02, 2023 - 5:00am

The University of California, Davis, has launched the Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics to advance basic knowledge about the mechanisms of psychedelics and translate it into safe and effective treatments for diseases such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, among others.

PsychLight Sensor to Enable Discovery of New Psychiatric Drugs

Andy Fell — April 28, 2021 - 8:30am

Introducing psychLight: a sensor for mental illness treatment and drug abuse detection. Learn how �鶹��ý researchers are advancing mental health technology.

New Compound Related to Psychedelic Ibogaine Could Treat Addiction, Depression

Andy Fell — December 09, 2020 - 8:08am

A non-hallucinogenic version of the psychedelic drug ibogaine, with potential for treating addiction, depression and other psychiatric disorders, has been developed by researchers at the University of California, Davis. A paper describing the work is published Dec. 9 in Nature.

“Psychedelics are some of the most powerful drugs we know of that affect the brain,” said David Olson, assistant professor of chemistry at �鶹��ý and senior author on the paper. “It’s unbelievable how little we know about them.”

Psychedelic Drugs Change Structure of Neurons

Andy Fell — June 12, 2018 - 6:58am

A team of scientists at the University of California, Davis, is exploring how hallucinogenic drugs impact the structure and function of neurons — research that could lead to new treatments for depression, anxiety and related disorders.