Molecular psychiatry
July 1, 2024
Orr Shahar, Alexander Botvinnik, Amit Shwartz et al.
37 citations
Psilocybin-containing mushroom extract (PME) may have stronger and longer-lasting effects on synaptic plasticity than chemically synthesized psilocybin (PSIL) alone. In male mice, both PME and PSIL increased synaptic proteins GAP43 and synaptophysin in brain regions linked to learning and memory, but PME increased more proteins across more brain areas after 11 days. Metabolomic analysis of the frontal cortex revealed a distinct metabolic profile for PME, with a progressive decline in purines associated with oxidative stress from vehicle to PSIL to PME. These findings suggest that other compounds in the mushroom extract contribute to enhanced neuroplasticity, though further research is needed to identify them.
Frontiers in Pharmacology
April 18, 2024
Elad Lerer, Alexander Botvinnik, Orr Shahar et al.
14 citations
Psilocybin and a psilocybin-containing mushroom extract, but not the serotonin precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan, increased expression of immediate early genes cfos and egr1 in the somatosensory cortex of male mice. The head twitch response, a behavioral measure, did not correlate with gene expression changes. Blocking the 5-HT2C receptor enhanced psilocybin-induced egr2 expression, but other serotonergic modulators had no effect. These findings suggest that cfos and egr1 expression may be linked to psychedelic effects.
Research Square
July 20, 2023
Orr Shahar, Alexander Botvinnik, Amit Shwartz et al.
3 citations
Psilocybin-containing mushroom extract (PME) produces more potent and prolonged effects on synaptic plasticity in the mouse brain than chemically synthesized psilocybin alone. In male C57Bl/6j mice, both PME and psilocybin triggered similar head twitch responses, but PME increased four synaptic proteins (GAP43, PSD95, synaptophysin, SV2A) across all brain areas studied after 11 days, whereas psilocybin only increased two proteins in the hippocampus and amygdala. Metabolomic analysis of the prefrontal cortex showed a gradient of metabolic changes from vehicle to psilocybin to PME, with declines in purines linked to oxidative stress and energy production. The findings suggest that additional compounds in the mushroom extract may enhance psilocybin's effects on brain plasticity.