Psilocybin-induced changes in neural reactivity to alcohol and emotional cues in patients with alcohol use disorder: an fMRI pilot study
Scientific Reports – February 07, 2024
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
A single 25 mg dose of the hallucinogen psilocybin significantly diminishes alcohol craving. In 11 patients with alcohol use disorder (5 receiving psilocybin, 6 a placebo), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) revealed profound changes. Psilocybin, an alkaloid often from chemical synthesis, increased prefrontal cortex activity while decreasing insular cortex engagement, impacting cue reactivity. This neuroscience and psychology finding suggests improved emotional regulation. The supramarginal gyrus also showed unique changes. Such insights into neurotransmitter receptor influence on behavior are vital for medicine, drug studies, and even audiology.
Abstract
Abstract This pilot study investigated psilocybin-induced changes in neural reactivity to alcohol and emotional cues in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Participants were recruited from a phase II, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial investigating psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) for the treatment of AUD (NCT02061293). Eleven adult patients completed task-based blood oxygen dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) approximately 3 days before and 2 days after receiving 25 mg of psilocybin (n = 5) or 50 mg of diphenhydramine (n = 6). Visual alcohol and emotionally valanced (positive, negative, or neutral) stimuli were presented in block design. Across both alcohol and emotional cues, psilocybin increased activity in the medial and lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) and left caudate, and decreased activity in the insular, motor, temporal, parietal, and occipital cortices, and cerebellum. Unique to negative cues, psilocybin increased supramarginal gyrus activity; unique to positive cues, psilocybin increased right hippocampus activity and decreased left hippocampus activity. Greater PFC and caudate engagement and concomitant insula, motor, and cerebellar disengagement suggests enhanced goal-directed action, improved emotional regulation, and diminished craving. The robust changes in brain activity observed in this pilot study warrant larger neuroimaging studies to elucidate neural mechanisms of PAT. Trial registration : NCT02061293.