Frontiers in Neuroscience
May 23, 2023
Junhong Liu, Yuanyuan Wang, Ke Xia et al.
17 citations
Psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound in magic mushrooms, activates brain regions and increases functional connectivity in rats, similar to its effects in humans. Ten minutes after injection (2.0 mg/kg), positive brain activity appeared in the frontal, temporal, and parietal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum. Connectivity increased among regions including the cingulate cortex, dorsal striatum, prelimbic, and limbic areas. Psilocybin also raised levels of EGR1, a protein linked to depressive symptoms, throughout the brain, indicating widespread activation. These findings suggest the hyperactive state may underlie psilocybin's pharmacological effects.
Frontiers in Neuroscience
February 4, 2026
Junhong Liu, Y. Lynn Wang, Ke Xia et al.
Psilocin, the active component of magic mushrooms, increases brain activity and functional connectivity in rats, mirroring effects seen in humans. Ten minutes after injection, elevated activity was detected in the frontal, temporal, and parietal cortex (including the cingulate and retrosplenial cortex), hippocampus, and striatum. Functional connectivity analysis showed enhanced interconnectivity among the cingulate cortex, dorsal striatum, prelimbic, and limbic regions. Additionally, psilocin increased levels of the immediate early gene EGR1 in most cortical and striatal areas, indicating consistent activation. These findings suggest that psilocin induces a hyperactive state in rats, which may underlie its pharmacological effects.
Nan fang yi ke da xue xue bao = Journal of Southern Medical University
January 20, 2026
Ke Xia, Tianming Gao
Classic psychedelics, especially psilocybin, show promise for treating depression, with several randomized controlled trials indicating that one or a few sessions of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy can produce rapid and lasting antidepressant effects in patients with treatment-resistant depression. Mechanistically, these substances quickly increase neurotrophic factors, enhance neuroplasticity, and reorganize brain networks, creating a window for psychotherapy. However, the specific molecular and circuit-level mechanisms remain unclear, with debate between the 5-HT2A receptor-dependent hypothesis and the TrkB neurotrophic pathway-dependent hypothesis. Key challenges include psychedelic-related risks, incomplete mechanistic understanding, lack of standardized protocols, and insufficient long-term safety data.