Signals in our brain are not always processed in the same way: Certain receptors modulate these mechanisms, influencing our mood, perception, and behavior in various ways. One of these is the 5-HT2A receptor, which has a recently discovered unique characteristic: It dampens incoming visual information, giving our brain more space for internal processes and interpretations. This discovery by a research team from Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, could also help explain the effects of drugs like LSD.
When this receptor is overactivated, external sensory input is suppressed, and the brain generates more internally-driven images. "It's a bit like our brain is increasingly talking to itself," explains Professor Dirk Jancke. The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications on September, 14, 2024, provide new insights into our understanding of perception and psychiatric disorders.
In the jungle of serotonin receptors Receptors mediate the transmission of information between nerve cells. The release of serotonin alters nerve cell activities throughout the brain. At least 14 types of serotonergic receptors can be distinguished.
"The situation is particularly tricky because these receptors can be both inhibitory and activating," says Dirk Jancke. "Additionally, they are expressed in different cell types, which in turn have mutual inhibitory or excitatory effects on the entire network." Using light against the darkness in the brain Investigating the effects of receptors in th.