Effects of a single dose of psilocybin on behaviour, brain 5-HT2A receptor occupancy and gene expression in the pig
European Neuropsychopharmacology December 4, 2020 Lene Lundgaard Donovan, Jens Vilstrup Johansen, Nídia Fernandez Ros et al. 45 citations
A single dose of psilocybin given to awake female pigs caused behavioral changes—headshakes, scratching, and rubbing—lasting about 20 minutes. The dose produced a 67% occupancy of cerebral 5-HT2A receptors and plasma psilocin levels comparable to those in humans during an intense psychedelic experience. One day after injection, 19 genes in the prefrontal cortex were differentially expressed; after one week, only 3 genes were. Gene set enrichment analysis showed multiple immunological pathways were regulated one week after exposure. The authors suggest that any effects on gene expression are very modest, providing a framework for future research into the lasting molecular mechanisms of a single psilocybin dose.