Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have developed a groundbreaking molecule that delivers the powerful brain-repairing benefits of LSD — without any hallucinations.
By simply swapping two atoms in the LSD structure (what lead researcher David E. Olson playfully called a molecular “tire rotation”), the team created JRT — a non-hallucinogenic “neuroplastogen.”
This innovative compound keeps LSD’s remarkable ability to stimulate neuronal growth and repair damaged synapses, while eliminating the psychedelic effects that make traditional LSD too risky for many patients.
The results are impressive: in preclinical studies, JRT increased dendritic spine density by 46% and was nearly 100 times more potent than ketamine as an antidepressant. Crucially, it avoided the gene expression patterns and behaviors linked to psychosis.
This could be a game-changer for psychiatric care — especially for people with schizophrenia and other conditions involving synaptic loss and brain atrophy, who were previously excluded from psychedelic-based therapies.