Structural plasticity and enhanced fear extinction following psilocybin in chronically stressed mice.
Cory A Knox, Samuel C Woodburn, Amelia D Gilbert, Jason M Schlotzhauer, Alex C Kwan
bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology April 22, 2026 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.64898/2026.04.21.720014 via PubMed
Summary
Psilocybin increases dendritic spine density in frontal cortical neurons and aids in fear extinction following chronic restraint stress in a mouse model. This indicates that psilocybin can have beneficial effects even after exposure to stress, suggesting its potential for therapeutic use in stress-related conditions.
Study at a glance
| Population | mice subjected to chronic restraint stress |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Psilocybin enhances dendritic spine density and facilitates fear extinction after chronic restraint stress. |
Abstract
The classic psychedelic psilocybin elicits long-lasting neural plasticity and behavioral effects, but prior studies largely examined stress-naive animals. Using longitudinal imaging, we show that psilocybin increases dendritic spine density in frontal cortical neurons and facilitates fear extinction after chronic restraint stress, demonstrating psilocybin's effects in a translationally relevant mouse model.