Research at Enveric Biosciences Canada Inc. has led to the development of aminated psilocybin derivatives acting as 5-HT1A or 5-HT2A receptor modulators and reported to be useful for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.

Shionogi & Co. Ltd. has synthesized spiroheterocycle derivatives acting as 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptor antagonists and/or inverse agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of neurodegeneration.

Curasen Therapeutics Inc. has disclosed compounds acting as β-adrenoceptor agonists reported to be useful for the treatment of neurological disorders.

Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. have identified nicotinic α7 receptor positive allosteric modulators reported to be useful for the treatment of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and schizophrenia.

Recent Vanderbilt University patents describe metabotropic glutamate mGlu5 receptor negative allosteric modulators reported to be useful for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Angelman syndrome, anxiety disorder, autism spectrum disorders, substance abuse and dependence, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and obesity, among others.

The analysis of thousands of proteins in the brain has revealed the association of astrocytes with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A proteomic study by researchers from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) has identified them in different cellular compartments of astrocytes and neurons. One such protein, the postsynaptic protein SAPAP3, appeared to regulate the organization of the actin cytoskeleton. Its deficit in astrocytes could cause OCD.