A new scientific study suggests that a variant of LSD could help in treating depression in humans without tripping them on a magical tour.
The researchers, who were originally building a virtual library of 75 million molecules sharing unusual structures affecting serotonin release, have culled from a library a new variant of LSD. This variant has been able to get great effects on people after just a few doses. Though the drug is a variant of LSD it does not have any kind of mind-bending effects according to scientists.
The Background Check
With depression and allied mental health illnesses becoming common among the masses, particularly affecting the younger generation, many turn towards the use of medication and drugs. This is because the drugs help in the secretion of serotonin which calms anxiety and creates a feeling of happiness and contentment. However, the use of psychotic drugs on a regular basis is also known to have multiple side effects while the body gets used to the medications which no longer remain effective.
Opining on the treatment of the second leading cause of death—depression, Dr. Bryan Roth, an author of the study and a professor of pharmacology at UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, says, “We found our compounds had essentially the same antidepressant activity as psychedelic drugs, but they had no psychedelic drug-like actions at all.”
How Helpful?
The drug creates a similar effect to that of antidepressants such as psilocybin or ketamine. The new variant is known to help one concentrate and function better in day-to-day life. The researchers look at this variant as a hope for better effecting medication.
Though the drug needs tweaking of molecules before being available in the market, this is a dawn of a new medical era, creating better mental health around the world for a brighter future!
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