The so-called “magic mushrooms” contain psilocybin, a chemical compound that acts by desynchronizing the brain network responsible for a person’s sense of self, according to a new study published by Nature, according to Agerpres.
What effects do “magic” mushrooms have on the brain PHOTO Archive
What is psilocybin?
Psilocybin is a natural organic compound derived from phosphated dimethyltryptamine and is found in over 200 species of mushrooms. The ingestion of this compound leads to the deformation of the perception of time and space and produces changes in sensory connections with the surrounding world as well as spiritual experiences.
According to a new study, some changes in the brain caused by this substance can persist for several weeks if the dose is high.
Treatment for depression
It’s the first study to detail how these changes can persist, and its findings could explain why psilocybin could be a promising treatment for depression and other mental conditions.
“If there is this plasticity (of the brain) and we have this clinical response, we would expect changes in connectivity and activity. This is the first study to provide a convincing answer about these things.”, said Dr. Joshua Siegel, a psychiatrist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
How psilocybin works
Previously, other studies showed that this substance works by connecting to brain cells that react to serotonin, a chemical messenger. Brain scans of people with and without depression suggest that psilocybin encourages some brain regions to form new connections and synchronize their activity. At the same time, the activity of other brain regions is interrupted and desynchronized.
To demonstrate these effects, Siegel and his colleagues used precision functional mapping methods, which involve obtaining large amounts of data related to brain activity from a small number of participants.
In the study recently published in the journal Nature, seven participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a technique that tracks blood flow to identify activity in different brain regions.
Participants were given high doses of psilocybin or ritalin, a stimulant commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Then, after 1-2 weeks, the subjects who received psilocybin returned to receive ritalin and vice versa. Ritalin was used as a control in this experiment because it has stimulating effects on the brain but does not have psychedelic effects.
What are the conclusions of the study?
According to the conclusions of the study, this psychedelic substance led to an important decrease in synchronicity in the brain network known as “default neural network”. This circuit of interconnected brain regions includes the structures of the thalamus, the basal ganglia, the cerebellum and the hippocampus. It is most active when a person thinks to himself and lets his mind wander, but does not engage in a specific task.
“This is the network most influenced by psilocybin. And it actually corresponds to what I thought about psychedelic experiences – related to the idea of ego dissolution and distortions in time and space.”according to Siegel.
These effects disappear quickly when the subjects come off the psilocybin influence, but a decrease in synchronicity between the default neural network and the anterior hippocampus – a structure related to memory and emotions – was maintained for at least 3 weeks.
“In other words, psilocybin can open the door to change, allowing the therapist to lead the patient through it,” said Dr. Petros Petridis, a psychiatrist at the NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine.
