serotonin | The Burgundy Zine

January 6, 2021

5-HT2A: From Psychedelics to Psychiatry

“Serotonin” (5-HT) is more than just a buzzword tossed around by Gen Z and Millennials when something benign boosts their mood.

The beloved hormone has an array of functions throughout the body, with seven types of receptors nestled in your brain and peripheral organs. Each of these receptors has subtypes with labels A through D, as well.

But there’s one serotonin receptor that’s often shrouded in mystery and intrigue — the 5-HT2A receptor. This is the serotonin receptor infamous for its role in the psychedelic experience.

But there’s hardly any discussion of its functions beyond its role in tripping your face off and how that’s tied to your mental health.

March 16, 2020

Can You Stomach It? The Mysterious Relationship Between Psychedelics and Gut Health

By now, it’s no secret the brain and gut are in constant communication – and yet, there’s still an air of mystery shrowding the gut-brain axis.

So far, we know serotonin is central to gut-brain signaling. In fact, 90 percent of serotonin is synthesized in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, according to a 2016 Nutrients journal review.

Psychedelics, including psilocybin (a.k.a ‘shrooms’), LSD (a.k.a. ‘acid’), and DMT are serotonergic drugs that bind to the 5-HT2A receptor, says a 2018 World Psychiatric article. This is central to triggering the “psychedelic experience.”

Although research on psychedelics in mood, anxiety, and substance abuse disorders has been and currently is being heavily investigated, with a particular focus on serotonin, the impact of psychedelics on gut health remains largely untapped and under-researched.

Now that’s a head trip.

November 13, 2019

The Burgundy Zine #10: Spooky Psychology

By: burgundy bug

October 14, 2019

The Role of Serotonin in Your Daily Life

Serotonin is a hormone associated with mood regulation and well-being, but its functions go far beyond that.

Countless research over the last few decades has linked serotonin to regulating stress, long-term memory recall, sleep, digestion, blood pressure, and body temperature.

The hormone has also been critical to furthering the understanding of various neurological, behavioral, and emotional conditions, such as depression and migraines.

May 16, 2019

Webinar: The Physiological Effects of a Life Out of Balance

Neurology Professor Hayley Nelson, P.h.D., and Tina Curry-Logan demonstrated the physiological effects of stress during webinars on the evening of Apr 25 and afternoon of Apr 26.