Journal of Fungi
August 18, 2022
Sen Yao, Chuanzheng Wei, Hui Lin et al.
6 citations
Psilocybin content in the fungus Gymnopilus dilepis is regulated by cysteine and methionine metabolism. Treating mycelia with S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine significantly reduced psilocybin levels, while the stipe contained more psilocybin than the pileus. Transcriptome analysis linked differential gene expression to cysteine and methionine pathways, with Cystathionine gamma-lyase (CTH) transcription positively correlating with psilocybin content. Adding a CTH inhibitor lowered psilocybin and L-serine; supplementing L-cysteine restored both, suggesting L-cysteine or CTH positively regulates psilocybin synthesis via L-serine and 4-hydroxy-L-tryptophan. This reveals a new molecular mechanism for psilocybin biosynthesis.
International journal of molecular sciences
May 15, 2025
Xinyan Yang, Yinyu Chen, Gaolin Zheng et al.
3 citations
The mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) is a key channel for calcium uptake into mitochondria, and its dysfunction contributes to neurotoxic damage from psychoactive substances like MDMA, cocaine, and morphine. MCU dysfunction causes calcium overload, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, leading to neuronal injury. While MCU inhibitors show promise in reducing calcium overload and improving neural function, their selectivity and long-term safety need further study. Future research should focus on the precise regulatory mechanisms of MCU in drug-induced neurotoxicity and the development of targeted therapies.
medRxiv
July 29, 2025
Yuwen He, Shan Lei, Wangli Si et al.
preprint
Mindfulness meditation training alters functional connectivity in the somatomotor network (SMN) in both healthy and depressed populations. In 51 healthy and 35 depressed participants, common changes involved SMN-attentional network connections, suggesting that training modulates attention through somatic awareness. Population-specific changes also emerged: healthy individuals showed SMN-subcortical network shifts, indicating more pervasive effects on automatic processes, while depressed individuals showed SMN-default mode network interactions, which may explain why mindfulness is effective for depression. These altered connectivity patterns significantly predicted insomnia improvements after training in both groups, highlighting shared and distinct neural mechanisms underlying mindfulness-related mental health benefits.