Mental health disorders disrupt neural connections in the brain, yet most treatments only manage symptoms. This research explores psychedelic-inspired drugs that restore lost brain connections without hallucinogenic effects, using automated imaging tools to identify compounds that rebuild neural structure and offer lasting recovery.

This research tests whether psychedelics improve adaptability in mice. After learning reward rules, mice with a single psychedelic treatment relearned new rules faster and used more information—learning not only from rewards but also from missed rewards. The findings suggest psychedelics enhance behavioral flexibility, offering clues for developing future mental health treatments.