Psychedelic drugs reopen 'critical periods' for social learning

Neuroscientists have long searched for ways to reopen 'critical periods' in the brain, when mammals are more sensitive to signals from their surroundings that can influence periods of brain development. Now, researchers say a new study in mice shows that psychedelic drugs are linked by their common ability to reopen such critical periods, but differ in the length of time the critical period is open -- from two days to four weeks with a single dose.