New Study Reveals How Drugs ‘Rewire’ Brain Circuits for Lasting Depression Relief

New research shows how psychedelic drugs might treat mental illness. Scientists studied a derivative of amphetamine on rat brains. They identified a specific brain pathway that psychedelics affect. This pathway is key to neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to form new connections.

The study focused on two regions: the claustrum and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Depression affects the ACC, which controls emotions. The claustrum has many serotonin receptors, which psychedelics target.

Normally, activity between these regions weakens the connections. But the psychedelic drug reversed this. It actually made the connections much stronger. This change promotes plasticity in the brain’s circuitry. This “rewiring” may explain the fast and lasting relief seen in people with depression and anxiety. This research strengthens the case for using psychedelics in therapy.