Psychedelics amplify brain connectivity through serotonin receptors, study suggests

Psychedelics like psilocybin (from magic mushrooms), LSD, DMT and mescaline profoundly alter how we perceive, feel and think. After decades of neglect, they are again the subject of serious scientific inquiry, largely because of their promise for treating depression, anxiety, addiction and other conditions. But this therapeutic promise has run ahead of a more basic understanding: While a great deal of attention has gone to whether psychedelics help treat mental disorders, far less has gone to what they actually do in a general sense—the fundamental way they change perception, thought and consciousness. Only by understanding these basic mechanisms can we ever make sense of the therapeutic effects.