Mental health treatment is overdue for a major upgrade. While existing medications can help manage symptoms, they often fall short—especially for people with conditions like schizophrenia, major depression, or PTSD. Side effects, limited effectiveness, and lack of long-term solutions remain major challenges. But researchers may be closing in on a new kind of treatment—one that doesn’t just mask symptoms, but actively repairs the brain.
At UC Davis, scientists have created a new compound by modifying LSD at the atomic level. The result, known as JRT, appears to stimulate brain cell growth and restore neural pathways—without the hallucinogenic effects that have kept psychedelics out of mainstream psychiatric care. The early results in mice are promising enough that experts are calling it a potential breakthrough. While it’s still in the early stages of development, JRT could mark a shift in how we think about treating serious mental illness: not just chemically, but structurally.
From Hallucinogen to Healing Agent — How a Molecular Tweak Changed Everything
In a breakthrough that could reshape how we approach mental health treatment, scientists at UC Davis have re-engineered LSD to create a new compound with powerful therapeutic effects—without the psychedelic side effects. The research team, led by chemist David Olson, developed a molecule called JRT by making a precise atomic modification to LSD. Instead of altering the core of the drug’s structure, they performed what they described as a “tire rotation”—swapping the position of just two atoms. While seemingly minor, this molecular adjustment was enough to strip the hallucinogenic effects from LSD while preserving its ability to stimulate brain cell growth.
That small structural change opened up big possibilities. In mouse models, JRT demonstrated a remarkable ability to regrow neurons and repair damaged neural circuits. This is particularly significant for conditions like schizophrenia, where neural atrophy and disrupted signaling play a major role. Mice treated with JRT showed clear improvements in cognitive function and social behavior—two domains often impaired in schizophrenia—without exhibiting signs of the hallucinations or altered perception typically associated with classic psychedelics. For researchers long interested in psychedelics for their neuroplastic benefits, this development offers a potential workaround to one of the biggest clinical barriers: the trip.
According to Olson, JRT may eventually serve as a safer, more targeted alternative to current antipsychotics like clozapine. While clozapine can reduce symptoms, it often comes at the cost of emotional numbness, cognitive blunting, and a long list of side effects that discourage long-term use. JRT, on the other hand, seems to go beyond symptom control by promoting brain repair—offering a completely different therapeutic angle that addresses the root biological damage rather than just managing its surface-level effects.
Perhaps even more intriguing is JRT’s potential as a fast-acting antidepressant. In head-to-head comparisons in mice, the compound outperformed ketamine—currently considered one of the most rapid and effective antidepressants available. JRT achieved similar or greater results at doses nearly 100 times lower than ketamine, without signs of dissociation or abuse potential. While no one’s getting a prescription for JRT anytime soon, the early data points to a compound with the potential to revolutionize psychiatric treatment. It suggests a future where we can harness the brain-healing properties of psychedelics without the risks and unpredictability of a full-blown psychedelic experience.
Why Existing Treatments Fall Short—and Where JRT Fits In
Current treatments for serious mental health conditions like schizophrenia and major depression often leave much to be desired. Most antipsychotic medications, such as clozapine or risperidone, are designed to blunt symptoms like hallucinations or delusions by blocking dopamine receptors. But this approach doesn’t fix the underlying brain changes seen in these conditions—like reduced brain volume, damaged neural circuits, or impaired neuroplasticity. Over time, these drugs can also lead to serious side effects, including sedation, weight gain, emotional flattening, and cognitive decline. For many patients, the trade-offs are significant enough that they stop taking their medication altogether.
That’s where a compound like JRT stands out. Instead of simply blocking neurotransmitters, JRT seems to stimulate brain repair at a structural level. In mice, it encouraged the regrowth of neurons and the formation of new connections between brain cells, essentially reversing some of the neurological damage. This is a sharp contrast to the way traditional drugs work—and it’s what researchers believe could make JRT more effective, especially in treatment-resistant cases. Rather than numbing the brain, it may help restore its function.
The potential applications also extend beyond schizophrenia. Olson’s lab has shown in earlier research that psychedelics can enhance neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to rewire itself—which plays a role in conditions like PTSD, anxiety, and depression. JRT could theoretically be used to tap into this same mechanism, but without the complications that come with a psychedelic trip. For patients who either can’t tolerate or don’t want a hallucinogenic experience, that makes JRT a compelling alternative.
It’s important to note that while JRT is promising, it’s still early in development. The compound hasn’t been tested in humans, and animal studies, while encouraging, don’t always translate perfectly to clinical success. Still, the fact that a minor tweak to an existing psychedelic can so dramatically change its effects—and potentially open up new therapeutic pathways—underscores how much room there is to innovate within psychiatric medicine.
The Science Behind the Shift — How JRT Avoids the “Trip” but Keeps the Benefits
One of the biggest barriers to using psychedelics as medicine has always been the trip itself. Compounds like LSD and psilocybin activate the 5-HT2A receptor in the brain, which is linked to hallucinations, altered perception, and other classic psychedelic effects. But this same receptor is also involved in promoting neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to grow, adapt, and form new connections. Until now, it seemed impossible to separate those two effects: you either got both, or neither.
JRT changes that equation. The UC Davis team discovered that by slightly altering the structure of LSD, they could redirect how the molecule interacts with brain receptors. The tweak appears to allow JRT to activate the brain’s repair mechanisms without lighting up the sensory and perception pathways responsible for hallucinations. In scientific terms, this is called “functionally selective” or “biased” signaling—where a molecule can engage only the beneficial parts of a receptor’s activity, while avoiding the problematic ones.
This kind of receptor selectivity is already a major goal in drug development. It’s what allows some drugs to treat pain without causing addiction, or to lower blood pressure without crashing your heart rate. In JRT’s case, that selectivity means it can promote the growth of dendritic spines—the small structures on neurons that help transmit signals—without pushing users into a psychedelic state. That’s a major win for making this class of compounds more clinically viable.
The implications go beyond just one compound. JRT is part of a new class of molecules known as “psychoplastogens”—drugs that promote structural changes in the brain without necessarily altering consciousness. It’s a term coined by Olson’s lab to distinguish these brain-rewiring agents from traditional psychedelics. If more compounds can be designed with similar properties, it could open the door to a completely new generation of psychiatric treatments: fast-acting, brain-restoring, and free from the psychological side effects that have kept many psychedelics locked out of mainstream medicine.
What This Means for You
While JRT itself isn’t available yet—and won’t be for several years, if it makes it through clinical trials—this research still offers some relevant insights for anyone interested in mental health, especially in how we think about treatment options. Here’s what readers should keep in mind:
1. Brain Repair, Not Just Symptom Management, Is the New Frontier
Current psychiatric medications often aim to control or mask symptoms—whether it’s anxiety, depression, or psychosis. What JRT represents is a shift toward drugs that may actually repair the brain’s architecture. This could lead to more lasting recovery and fewer side effects. Even if JRT isn’t the final answer, it signals a larger trend in mental health research: moving away from suppressing symptoms and toward restoring function.
2. Psychedelics Are Being Taken Seriously in Science—But Not as You Might Think
If you’ve dismissed psychedelics as fringe or recreational, it’s worth reconsidering. Researchers aren’t using them to promote altered states—they’re looking at how these substances affect brain structure and function. LSD, psilocybin, and now JRT are being studied not for the high, but for their ability to heal damaged brain circuits. The focus is increasingly on compounds that offer therapeutic benefits without triggering a trip, which makes them more acceptable to mainstream medicine and everyday patients.
3. If You’re Exploring Alternative Therapies, Be Smart About It
The buzz around psychedelics and mental health is growing, but that doesn’t mean self-experimentation is safe or effective. Many psychedelics remain illegal or unregulated in most places, and their effects can be unpredictable, especially for people with a history of psychosis or severe mood disorders. What the JRT story shows is that science is working to isolate what’s helpful from what’s risky. Until then, it’s best to stick with therapies that are evidence-based and legally prescribed.
4. Keep an Eye on Emerging Treatments
Whether it’s JRT or something else, the next few years are likely to bring new options for mental health care—especially ones that target the brain more directly. If you or someone you know struggles with treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, or schizophrenia, it’s worth staying informed about these developments. Talk to your healthcare provider about emerging therapies and clinical trials, especially if standard medications aren’t working well.
A Shift Worth Watching — Why This Matters Beyond the Lab
The development of JRT marks more than just a novel drug—it’s a sign that psychiatry is entering a new phase. For decades, mental health treatment has mostly revolved around adjusting neurotransmitter levels. SSRIs, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers—they tweak brain chemistry, but often without addressing the root of the problem. What researchers at UC Davis and other institutions are now pushing toward is something deeper: structural repair. That means healing the brain, not just managing its malfunctions.
This matters because the mental health crisis isn’t going away. Rates of depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia are rising globally, and many people aren’t getting the help they need. Even when they do, existing treatments don’t work for everyone—and those who do respond often deal with side effects that make long-term use difficult. A treatment that can actually restore neural health without debilitating trade-offs isn’t just a scientific win—it could change lives.
JRT isn’t a miracle drug, and it’s not available yet. But it’s part of a broader rethinking of how we treat mental illness: not as a chemical imbalance to suppress, but as a neurological condition we might one day be able to fix. That’s a shift worth paying attention to, not just for patients and doctors, but for anyone who cares about how modern medicine is evolving. If we continue to invest in treatments that go beyond symptom control and actually improve brain function, we may finally start closing the gap between surviving mental illness and recovering from it.
Source:
- Tuck, J. R., Dunlap, L. E., Khatib, Y. A., Hatzipantelis, C. J., Novak, S. W., Rahn, R. M., Davis, A. R., Mosswood, A., Vernier, A. M. M., Fenton, E. M., Aarrestad, I. K., Tombari, R. J., Carter, S. J., Deane, Z., Wang, Y., Sheridan, A., Gonzalez, M. A., Avanes, A. A., Powell, N. A., . . . Olson, D. E. (2025). Molecular design of a therapeutic LSD analogue with reduced hallucinogenic potential. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(16). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2416106122
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