🍄 Scientists have engineered modified versions of psilocin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, that may offer therapeutic benefits with fewer hallucinogenic effects.

🔬 In a study with mice, a specific derivative named 4e was shown to effectively cross the blood-brain barrier and maintain a sustained presence of psilocin in the brain, while exhibiting significantly fewer psychedelic-like behaviors compared to pharmaceutical-grade psilocybin.

🧠 This development suggests the possibility of creating new medications that retain beneficial activity for conditions like depression and anxiety while potentially reducing unwanted mind-altering effects, though further human studies are needed.

#Psychedelics #Neuroscience #MedicalResearch

Psilocybin might not be the most psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms. Scientists found evidence that several minor compounds in these mushrooms work together to interact with brain receptors, potentially explaining why natural extracts often produce different effects than synthetic versions.

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#Psychedelics #Neuropharmacology #PsilocybinResearch

Researchers found that when patients know exactly what drug they are taking, psychedelics perform no better than standard antidepressants in tackling depression. The findings suggest that the clinical advantage of psychedelics might be a product of trial design rather than pharmacologic effect.

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#Psychedelics #DepressionTreatment #ClinicalTrialBias

🍄 Psychedelics show no clear advantage over standard antidepressants when patient expectations are accounted for, according to a new study from UCSF, UCLA, and Imperial College London.

🤔 A systematic review of 24 trials (8 on psychedelics with 249 patients, 16 open-label antidepressant trials with over 7,900 participants) found no statistically significant difference in depression score improvements when patients knew they were receiving active treatment.

📊 While both therapies led to an average drop of 12 points in depression scores, the study suggests the perceived superiority of psychedelics may stem from trial design and unblinding issues, rather than a stronger pharmacological effect.

#Psychedelics #MentalHealth #Depression

A new study measures the temporal distortions caused by psychedelics. Study helps clarify the psychological mechanisms behind psychedelic experiences and offer insights into how the human brain tracks the passage of seconds.

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#Psychedelics #TemporalPerception #Neuroscience

🌱 Scientists have engineered tobacco plants to produce five potent psychedelic compounds: psilocin, psilocybin, DMT, bufotenin, and 5-methoxy-DMT.

🔬 The process uses agroinfiltration, a temporary gene-editing technique, allowing plants to create these compounds without altering their permanent DNA.

🌿 This method offers a simpler and more sustainable way to produce these substances for research and potential therapeutic uses compared to traditional methods.

#Psychedelics #Biotech #PharmaFarming

Scientists identify ‘neural fingerprint’ of psychedelic drugs in the brain | Analysis of more than 500 brain scans finds LSD, psilocybin and other psychedelics increase cross-talk between brain systems

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#Psychedelics #NeuroScience #BrainConnectivity

Researchers find DMT provides longer-lasting antidepressant effects than S-ketamine in mice study. Findings highlight the promise of psychedelic compounds as future therapies for severe, treatment-resistant mental health conditions.

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#Psychedelics #DMT #Depression

Trials of psychedelics for mental health may be invalid, because it's fairly obvious to patients whether they've been given a psychedelic or a placebo. Blinding failed more than 90% of the time in the studies of psilocybin, LSD and DMT, and 85% of the time in studies of MDMA.

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#Psychedelics #MentalHealth #ClinicalTrials

🌿 Cannabis microdosing is most common among U.S. adults, with about 9.4% (24 million people) reporting lifetime use, surpassing psychedelics like psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA.

📝 Most individuals microdose for recreational purposes, aiming to reduce the intensity of the high rather than for specific medical applications.

🧠 Those reporting poorer mental health are more likely to engage in microdosing across various substances.

#Microdosing #Cannabis #Psychedelics

Study suggests that different substances have different associations with criminal behavior and police arrests. Psychedelics like psilocybin tend to be associated with lower rates of arrest, other substances like PCP and GHB show strong links to violent and non-violent crimes.

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#Psychedelics #CriminalJustice #SubstanceUseResearch

Major life changes following psychedelic use: A retrospective survey among people using psychedelics naturalistically

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#Psychedelics #LifeChanges #NaturalisticUse

The hallucinogenic mushroom that contains no known psychedelic

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#Science #Psychedelics #Mushrooms

In recent years, there has been growing interest among adults with ADHD in the practice of microdosing classic psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD. Currently available scientific evidence does not allow the effectiveness of psychedelics in treating ADHD to be confirmed.

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#ADHDresearch #Psychedelics #Microdosing ADHD

🍄 Growing interest in microdosing psilocybin and LSD for adult ADHD, with online accounts suggesting improved focus and well-being.

🔬 A review from Wroclaw Medical University found currently available scientific evidence does not confirm the effectiveness of psychedelics for ADHD.

📊 Only five studies met criteria for evaluation: three observational microdosing studies, one LSD trial, and one ayahuasca study. Observational studies showed short-term improvements, but causality is unclear.

📉 The sole randomized LSD trial vs. placebo showed no statistically significant difference between groups, despite observed improvements in both.

⚠️ Experts warn against abandoning established ADHD treatments, emphasizing that psychedelics are not a proven alternative and require more research. Discussion with a physician is crucial.

#ADHD #Psychedelics #MentalHealth

Psilocybin Might Make Your Brain Live in the Moment— Psychedelics are often associated with disconnecting from reality, but a recent neuroimaging study found that psilocybin can actually make our brain activity more attuned to the world around us.

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#Psychedelics #Psilocybin #Neuroimaging

Psilocybin reverses depressive behaviors and restores brain cell growth in stressed rats

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#Psychedelics #DepressionResearch #Neurogenesis

🍄 New research in mice suggests psilocybin, found in magic mushrooms, may protect against chemotherapy-induced nerve pain.
🔬 Published Thursday in Science, the study showed mice given two doses of psilocybin were protected against nerve damage for up to six chemotherapy cycles.

💡 This is the first time psilocybin has been used as a neuroprotective agent, potentially preventing painful nerve damage like tingling and numbness.

🧬 Researchers observed psilocybin helped maintain the movement of energy-producing structures (mitochondria) within nerve cells, which chemotherapy can disrupt. A clinical trial in humans is planned within a month.

#SciTech #Health #Psychedelics

Psychedelic drugs reduce the amount of bottom-up brain activity flowing into a network associated with self-reflection. These altered brain signals occur consistently across humans and mice, offering a biological explanation for how these drugs reshape the mind.

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#Psychedelics #Neuroscience #SelfReflection

💡 Psychedelic drugs like LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA reduce the flow of "bottom-up" brain activity, which normally updates our internal models with new information from the outside world. This occurs in a brain network associated with self-reflection.

🔬 Researchers used a new technique called optical flow to track brain activity waves, similar to how weather radar tracks storms, finding consistent patterns in humans and mice.

🧠 This disruption of bottom-up processing may explain how psychedelics help with conditions like depression by quieting intrusive thoughts, but could also pose risks for individuals prone to psychosis.

#Psychedelics #BrainScience #Neuroscience