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5-HT
Also known as: HT
Facts (16)
Sources
Psychedelics, Sociality, and Human Evolution frontiersin.org 11 facts
claimSelection for tolerance in humans was likely modulated by increased brain 5-HT (serotonin) levels, according to Hare (2017) and Raghanti et al. (2018).
claimHigher-order executive tasks such as social learning, working memory, and behavioral flexibility depend critically on the prefrontal cortex, which is modulated by serotonin (5-HT), according to research by Puig and Gulledge (2011).
claimSerotonergic psychedelics provide homeostatic utility by substituting for 5-HT (serotonin) under circumstances in which endogenous biosynthesis and signaling functions are compromised.
claimThe psychedelic instrumentalization model predicts that psilocybin and other serotonergic psychedelics can substitute for 5-HT (serotonin) under conditions of tryptophan depletion, potentially ameliorating costs associated with impaired serotonergic neural signaling, such as depressed mood, increased stress vulnerability, and cognitive inflexibility.
claimPsilocybin ingestion could have provided homeostatic utility to human ancestors by acting as a treatment for 5-HT (serotonin) depletion, which was a recurrent adaptive problem during the advancement into a socio-cognitive niche.
claimThe authors of 'Psychedelics, Sociality, and Human Evolution' propose that humans likely exploited psilocybin and other psychedelics due to their chemical resemblance to endogenous signaling molecules like 5-HT, despite these compounds originally evolving as chemical defenses against insects.
claimThe negative impact of serotonin (5-HT) depletion on fitness likely increased during hominization due to an escalating dependence on cognitive skills for cooperative and collective life, as suggested by Dunbar (2014) and Gamble et al. (2014).
claimHumans cannot produce the amino acid tryptophan, which is a precursor in the biosynthesis of 5-HT (serotonin), and must obtain it through their diet.
claimThe ingestion of 5-HT-mimicking psychedelics was potentially beneficial and adaptive for humans because it supported social tolerance and cognitive flexibility, traits regulated by 5-HT (Tricklebank and Daly, 2019).
claimThe incidental ingestion of psilocybin and other psychedelic secondary metabolites, which have very low toxicity and structurally resemble the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT), may have provided a 'treatment' for serotonin depletion, a challenge recurring during human advancement into a socio-cognitive niche.
claimTryptamine psychedelics, such as DMT and psilocybin, could have provided an ideal substitute for tryptophan by mimicking the structure and function of 5-HT (serotonin).
Effects of psychedelics on neurogenesis and broader neuroplasticity link.springer.com Dec 19, 2024 2 facts
measurementOral ingestion of ayahuasca at concentrations of 250, 500, and 800 mg/kg in adult rats elevated GABA and 5-HT levels in the hippocampus and reduced glycine and GABA levels in the amygdala in a dose-dependent manner, 40 minutes post-ingestion, according to Castro-Neto et al. (2013).
claimNew biochemical routes to treat depression are emerging, including the induction of neurogenesis independent of direct 5-HT (serotonin) modulation.
Neuroimaging in psychedelic drug development: past, present, and ... nature.com Sep 27, 2023 1 fact
referenceVollenweider et al. (1999) conducted a PET study using [11C]raclopride to investigate 5-HT modulation of dopamine release in the basal ganglia during psilocybin-induced psychosis in humans.
Topical Collection “Pharmacology of Medicinal Plants” - PMC pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Jan 14, 2021 1 fact
claimThe review article 'Topical Collection “Pharmacology of Medicinal Plants”' asserts that the compound HT acts as a bioactive compound that positively influences wound healing.
“Plants of the Gods” and their hallucinogenic powers in ... surgicalneurologyint.com Jul 19, 2021 1 fact
claimLSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) is a semi-synthetic hallucinogen that binds to 5-HT and dopamine receptors, acting as an agonist for both to mimic and amplify neurotransmitter properties in the central nervous system, which induces psychedelic effects.