Learning and Education

Glutamate is a naturally occurring amino acid that plays a crucial role in brain function and overall health. As one of the most abundant neurotransmitters in the brain, it is...

The festive traditions of Christmas, replete with feasts, gift-giving, and elaborate decorations, may have evolved from ancient shamanic practices, particularly those involving Amanita muscaria or the fly agaric mushroom.

The endocannabinoid system serves to modulate neurotransmission at inhibitory and excitatory synapses in the brain, specifically in brain regions associated with the regulation of emotions, motivation, pain, and cognition [10-14]. Our...

Cognitive biases are prevalent human tendencies that can significantly influence how we think, make decisions, and act in various ways [1-3]. In the setting of health and wellness, these biases can...

The use of psychedelics for their potential cognitive and mental health benefits is a topic that has gained attention in recent years. Psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin, DMT, ketamine, and MDMA...

Nicotine is a chemical compound that naturally occurs in tobacco plants. It's notorious for its addictive properties and the severe health consequences of smoking. However, when you separate nicotine from the...

Research from the turn of the century proposed that reduced forms of honokiol might yield enhanced anxiolytic activity compared with its parent compound [12,13]. The most promising of these was...

Testing for serotonin levels in the brain is very difficult. Although blood tests are available for serotonin, doctors tend to diagnose low serotonin based on symptoms, not blood concentrations. In...

Serotonin is synthesized through a series of enzymatic reactions, beginning with the essential amino acid tryptophan. Essential amino acids cannot be produced by the body, hence the name, and must...

Anandamide is a neurotransmitter of the endocannabinoid system that is derived from arachidonic acid-containing membrane lipids and has numerous biological functions. Its effects are primarily mediated by the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and...

Serotonin syndrome (SS), or serotonin toxicity [1,2], is a condition that can be potentially life-threatening, and is brought about by the use of serotonergic drugs [3,4]. The term serotonergic simply refers to...

Honokiol is a natural compound derived from the bark and seed cones of the Magnolia tree. It has a long history of use in traditional medicine, particularly in East Asia....

Imagine a beautiful mushroom. Do you see a dome-shaped cap atop a slender stem? Visualize the cap’s color. Is it, perhaps, a deep red adorned with white dots? If so,...

5-hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP for short, is the intermediate metabolite of the essential amino acid tryptophan in the process of serotonin biosynthesis [1]. That is to say, it is an immediate precursor...

Cannabis has historically been used for a wide range of purposes, such as industrial, ornamental, and pharmaceutical applications [1,2]. In the modern world, marijuana use is permitted in some jurisdictions to...