A recent study published in Nature Communications has found that a single dose of magic mushrooms can transform the brain physically, with changes lasting as long as a month. The study aimed to identify the exact changes the brain undergoes after being exposed to psilocybin, the psychedelic substance in magic mushrooms.

Methodology and Findings

Researchers gave 28 participants, who had no history of mental illness, a placebo and monitored them for a month. During that month, scientists measured psychological insight, well-being, and cognitive performance, while using fMRI imaging to observe connections in the brain. In the second stage of the experiment, the participants were given 25 mg of psilocybin, enough for a psychedelic experience, or ‘trip.’ Their brains were monitored during the trip and for the weeks after.

Within an hour of taking the dose, researchers observed a rise in brain entropy, the term used to describe intense neural activity, characterized as complex, unpredictable, and flexible. This means the brain was capable of understanding and processing more information than usual. One month after the trip, the participants’ brains showed denser neural tracts with greater integrity, the opposite of what can be observed in an aging brain.

Implications and Future Research

The ability to break thought patterns is why researchers believe psilocybin has a place in a therapeutic setting. Participants were also asked to respond to statements like ‘I’ve been feeling optimistic about the future’ and ‘I’ve been dealing with problems well,’ to determine their mental state two and four weeks after the dose. Researchers noted a marked improvement in these responses at both the second and fourth week after the trip.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.