Psilocybe cubensis extract potently prevents fear memory recall and freezing behavior in short- but not long-term in a rat model of posttraumatic stress disorder.
Behavioral Neuroscience January 18, 2024 Zahra Ghofrani-Jahromi, Sarah Nouri-Darehno, Mehrsa Rahimi-Danesh et al. 22 citations
A single injection of Psilocybe cubensis extract (25 mg/kg) given to male rats shortly before or after fear conditioning reduced PTSD-like freezing behavior in the short term (1 and 3 days after conditioning) but not after 21 days. The extract also decreased locomotor activity only briefly after administration, while it raised pain thresholds and reduced anxiety for a longer period. These results suggest that the mushroom's effects on PTSD-like behavior and activity are short-lived, but its influence on pain sensitivity and anxiety may persist.