The purpose of this study is to determine if psilocybin-related tryptamines bind to the 5-HT2A receptor through molecular calcium imaging. We hypothesized that psilocybin-related tryptamines would bind to the 5-HT2A receptor with appreciable affinity.5HT2A receptors have gained popularity in research due to their suspected role in mental health, such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and bipolar […]
C10: Age-Related Differences in Rat Behavioral Responses to Psilocybin
The prevalence of adolescent depression is at an all-time high. Pharmacological treatments are similar to adults but elicit different—and oftentimes adverse—consequences in adolescents, including anxiety and suicidal ideations. Thus, significant demand exists for improved therapeutic interventions for this age group. Psilocybin, a serotonergic agonist, has demonstrated potential for therapeutic efficacy in adulthood; however, its effects […]
C09: The Effects of Psilocybin on Maternal Behavior
Certain psychiatric medications, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), can be harmful during pregnancy and the postnatal period, having been shown to lead to birth defects and reduce helpful maternal behaviors. These factors may require birthing parents to temporarily stop taking such medications, but ceasing them may pose a risk to the parent. This presents […]
B10: Behavioral Effects of N,N,N-Trimethyltryptamine and Possible Receptor Mechanisms
In the McMurray Lab, we study the behavioral and molecular effects of hallucinogenic drugs on serotonergic systems, namely the 5-HT2a receptor. Common antipsychotic drugs and hallucinogens used for mental health treatment are known to bind to the 5-HT2a receptor, and activation of this receptor is believed to lead to a downstream improvement of behavioral and […]
A56: Effectiveness of Psilocybin in Females Depends on Estrous Stage
The tryptamine psilocybin exerts its hallucinogenic effects primarily through agonism of 5-HT2A receptors. 5-HT2A receptor expression fluctuates across the estrous cycle, driven by variation in estradiol level. Therefore, it is likely that the hallucinogenic effects of the drug may also vary across the estrous cycle. The head twitch response, also called wet dog shake, can […]