Emerging research reveals new dimensions of immune regulation and neuroplasticity relevant for cancer and neurological diseases. Key studies identify lactate signaling as a driver of immune-inflammatory hotspots and demonstrate that blocking transporter SLC5A12 can resolve such loci. Psychedelic compounds and their non-hallucinogenic analogs activate shared pathways promoting neuroplasticity without immediate early gene activation, offering avenues for safer neuropsychiatric therapeutics. Tabernanthalog and serotonin receptor 5-HT1A structural insights further elucidate receptor signaling mechanisms underlying mood regulation, while novel CDK inhibitors enhance neuroblastoma differentiation and retinoic acid sensitivity.