Each one of these receptors isn’t a simple on and off switch. Drugs don’t just replicate the effects of our natural neurotransmitters. They do something completely unique! And imo, it’s what makes studying them so special. It’s a look into how our brains work at the smallest possible level.

Tl;dr: This is one of the clearest looks we’ve ever gotten at how some of these drugs bind to their target receptors. We also get to see how they affect the receptor differently than the neurotransmitter that’s actually supposed to be there!

Keeping it short, we’re not just seeing changes in how the brain shapes itself, we’re seeing changes in how pre-existing receptors behave before and after. In this case, even though we’re not seeing individual neurons grow more or make more receptors, there’s still difference in how they signal!

This will happen again. Hopefully next time off of something far more potent :P