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Psychedelics reduce fear by targeting immune cells that modulate brain cells

Immune cells boost stress-linked fear responses by communicating with brain cells. One way that psychedelics lessen such fear is by modulating this interaction.
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  1. Yun Chen

    1. Yun Chen is in the Department of Neurology and in the Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.

  2. Marco Colonna

    1. Marco Colonna is in the Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.

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Fear and stress have vital roles by helping animals to respond adaptively to threats. However, these evolved stress responses can lead to clinical problems such as chronic stress, depression and anxiety. To better understand these responses and to improve psychological treatments, scientists have spent decades studying the underlying brain mechanisms, with particular focus on a brain region called the amygdala.

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Nature 641, 1105-1108 (2025)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-01133-9

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Competing Interests

M.C. serves on the scientific advisory boards of Vigil Neuro and Cell Signaling Technology.

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