Speaker Bio
I’m currently enrolled as a PhD student at the University of Southern Denmark where I work under the supervision of Associate professor Mikael Palner. My research focuses on the acute and persistent effects of serotonergic psychedelic drugs within neuronal circuits related to the pathophysiology of obsessive compulsive disorder and other anxiety related disorders. Through in vivo Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging I study the effects of different serotonergic psychedelic drugs on neuronal activity and functional connectivity within specific neuronal circuits in order to, hopefully, understand how serotonergic psychedelic drugs are able to elicit persistent therapeutic effects long after the psychedelic effects.
I hold a bachelor degree from the University of Copenhagen, and a double MSc degree, one in neurobiology & biophysics from University of Chinese Academy in Sciences (UCAS) and one in neuroscience/neuroimaging from Aarhus University, Denmark. I wrote my Master thesis at the Neurobiological Research Unit (NRU) at Copenhagen University Hospital under the supervision of Prof. DMsc. Gitte M. Knudsen and Associate Prof. Mikael Palner.
ICPR 2024 Abstract
Effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) on metabolic activity and connectivity within the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) circuit in rats
Pharmacotherapy with serotonergic psychedelic drugs, such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), exhibits promising benefits for neuropsychiatric disorders like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While the psychedelic effects are relatively short-lived, therapeutic benefits persist long after administration. The cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) circuit is proposed as a key mediator of psychedelic drug action and believed to be malfunctioning in OCD.
Utilizing 18-flourodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18FDG-PET) imaging, this study aims to assess the acute and long-term effects on regional glucose metabolism and metabolic connectivity within the CSTC circuit in rats (n=12) following a single dose of LSD (0.3 mg/kg).
After acute LSD administration, a significant reduction in 18FDG uptake was observed in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and orbital frontal cortex (OFC) compared to baseline. While ACC returned to baseline levels after one week, the decrease in 18FDG uptake in OFC persisted. Additionally, ventral tegmental area (VTA) exhibited a significant increase in 18FDG after acute LSD, returning to baseline after one week.
Metabolic connectivity analysis revealed significant changes in correlations within the CSTC circuit. Between baseline and acute conditions, a strengthening of correlation between VTA and Striatum was observed. Similarly, between baseline and one week, a positive correlation increased between ACC and Striatum.
These findings suggest that a single dose of LSD can induce acute and persistent alterations in metabolic connectivity within the CSTC circuit. This aligns with the prolonged therapeutic effects reported in clinical contexts, shedding light on potential therapeutic mechanisms of LSD on neuropsychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).