Human brain structure and neuron, brain stimulation or activity, 3d illustration Anusorn / Adobe Stock
DECRYPTION – Scientists have revealed a biological mechanism likely to explain the very rapid therapeutic effect of these psychotropic drugs.
Investigative books and press articles now dare to echo it: long taboo, the therapeutic potential of psychedelics is arousing renewed interest. In the United States, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, several clinical trials on these prohibited substances – LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms, ayahuasca – have documented their positive effects against depressive symptoms, alcohol addiction or stress disorders. Posttraumatic. Their action is different from that of conventional antidepressants: the benefits of psychedelics, when they occur, appear the day after the first dose and last over time. These products also have in common to alter the state of consciousness. In a therapeutic setting, they must also be administered in the presence of a caregiver.
“We still have a lot to learn about the biological mechanisms specific to these psychotropics,” emphasizes Professor Luc Mallet, psychiatrist at the Henri…
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