There are plenty of papers related to this. Before and after that one. The term for this paper might be that it’s a mechanistic study, idk!, but it’s one that establishes a, well, mechanical premise for effects which are known to occur.
Regarding the relationship between sunlight and immunomodulation via cis-urocanic acid activation of serotonin receptor 5-HT2A, what parts of that relationship would you like to see more papers on?
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Note also that UV immunosuppression is standard clinical practice in psoriasis treatment. Both with artifical UV light and simple sunbathing.
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Exercise is mostly orthogonal to this effect.
So I guess what I'm asking is: is there evidence that the mechanism described in the paper results in "mental clarity", and further is there evidence that a walk in the park actually encourages this interaction (it sounds like it will as long as you get some sunlight).
I’ll find papers even though it might be a little late given the thread’s momentum. I wish I’d drawn up the connection first time around!
Off the cuff, I’ve seen results that inflammatory downregulation is associated with alleviation of depression – with both SSRI use… and psychedelic mushrooms! (which directly activate the same 5-HT2A receptor). A sense of a clear head is a common description in both instances. Both types of drug are known to alleviate depression, and are known to reduce inflammatory markers – the same as cis-urocanic acid is known to do. Lower those same markers, that is. The “pretty likely” part is my sense that there’s something there that’s causative for the feeling of clarity – yes. (Part of it. Maybe!)
There are also papers on cis-urocanic acid and… glutathione metabolism? or was it glutamine? in the brain.
I’ll dig up something concrete.
(I was very, very surprised to learn about these mechanisms. I’m not at all speaking as someone who’s into psychedelics. Just someone who marvels at what seems to be the molecular biology.)
