"Antidepressant Effects of Psychedelics: Neurocognitive Mechanisms": A Talk by Dr. Lucie Berkovitch (Université de Paris, GHU Paris, Sainte Anne Hospital)

On behalf of the 'Neural Mechanisms of Psychedelic Drug Action' Group, Dr. Lucie Berkovitch will give a talk titled "Antidepressant Effects of Psychedelics: Neurocognitive Mechanisms" as part of the 2026 Student/Postdoc-Run Speaker Series (SPRSS).

Abstract: Depression is a major public health challenge, with up to 30% of patients failing to respond to conventional treatments. This talk reviews the rapid and durable antidepressant effects of psychedelics and the neurocognitive mechanisms that underlie them, at the intersection of pharmacology, psychotherapy, and placebo effect. Recent data show that psilocybin, LSD, and DMT yield remission rates of roughly 30-50% in both resistant and non-resistant depression. Pharmacologically, these effects are driven by activation of 5-HT2A receptors, which changes brain connectivity and reshapes emotional processing, while also promoting neuroplasticity. We discuss how these neurobiological changes may act synergistically with psychotherapy, enabling psychedelic augmented psychotherapy. We then examine how psychedelics compare to classic antidepressants, and the ongoing debate over the contribution of the subjective, often mystical, experience and of placebo effects. Finally, we present emerging strategies aimed at dissociating the psychedelic experience from its therapeutic benefit.