A new study conducted by researchers at Yale University showed psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms can facilitate the regrowth of neurons lost in depression. Not only that, but scientists also found that the neurons grew back 10% bigger than before. These promising results add to the growing body of evidence that psychedelics can help promote neuroplasticity and enhance neurogenesis. With safety and efficacy rigorously established in various clinical trials, psilocybin is making a powerful comeback during this modern renaissance—especially when it comes to treating depression.
Psilocybin Has Already Proven to be Effective for Depression Treatment, Now We May Know Why
World-leading institutions, such as John’s Hopkins, NYU, and the Imperial College London have shown in their groundbreaking research that psilocybin can significantly help terminally ill patients—especially for those whom traditional treatments (like SSRIs) don’t work. The fact these terminally ill patients were able to reframe their relationship with death and overcome their deepest fears under the influence of psilocybin is certainly profound. But how can we exactly establish the mechanism for these incredible antidepressive, effects of psilocybin? This new Yale study attempts to answer exactly this question, by proving psilocybin administration in rats induces a more robust phenomenon of neuronal regrowth.
Evaluating Experimental Design: A Closer Look at the Yale Study
Researchers in this study gave mice a single dose of psilocybin, after which they used a laser-scanning microscope to study the concentration of dendritic spines in their brains. The study found that just a single dose of psilocybin prompted an “immediate and long-lasting increase in connections between neurons.” Indeed, changes in the dendritic spine concentration in mouse brains took place within 24 hours of psilocybin administration.
Other world-leading researchers in the field, such as Robin Carhart Harris, have clearly shown that psilocybin increases neural “crosstalk” and connectivity among parts of the brain that would otherwise be non-communicative. As mentioned before, Yale scientists found a significant increase in the number and size of the dendritic spines, thus leading to stronger neural connections overall. Finally, mice subjected to stress also showed behavioral improvements and increased neurotransmitter activity after being given psilocybin.
Psilocybin Provides Rapid Results That Are Long Lasting
One of the most curious things about the benefits of psychedelic drugs, like psilocybin, is the fact that its therapeutic effects seem to persist long after the patient’s dose of the drug has worn off. That is to say, the increase in dendritic spines researchers noticed were still present even one full month after scientists dosed mice with the drug. Indeed, other studies have shown drugs like Ayahuasca, a DMT containing psychedelic brew from the Amazon, also promote neurogenesis and have long-lasting effects on the brain. Previous laboratory experiments also demonstrated that ketamine is effective in treating depression in a similar rapid, long-lasting fashion. Such findings suggest the modern psychedelic renaissance is projected to provide incredible clinical promise to the millions of people who suffer from depression around the globe.