Alzheimer s & Dementia
December 1, 2024
Jitendra Kumar Sinha, Shampa Ghosh, Krishna Kumar Singh et al.
1 citation
Psychedelics such as DMT, LSD, and psilocybin, traditionally linked to recreational and spiritual use, are being investigated for therapeutic benefits in Alzheimer's disease-related dementia. These compounds act as serotonin agonists and enhance neural plasticity through serotonin and glutamate systems. They may modulate Alzheimer's-related signaling pathways, including the BDNF pathway, mTOR activation, and autophagy regulators. Controlled administration, depending on dosage, offers a potential novel intervention for dementia. The review highlights promising pathways but emphasizes the need for further studies to establish long-term safety, efficacy, and optimal treatment protocols.
Alzheimer s & Dementia
December 1, 2025
Leelavathi N. Madhu, Yogish Somayaji, Sanya Kotian et al.
In a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (5xFAD), monthly psilocybin treatment (0.5 mg/kg for 4 months) preserved cognitive and mood function compared to vehicle-treated mice. Treated mice showed better pattern separation, associative recognition memory, and no anhedonia. Brain tissue analysis revealed reduced chronic neuroinflammation, including less astrocytic hypertrophy, fewer microglial inflammasome complexes, and lower levels of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and related signaling proteins. Psilocybin also increased production of new neurons and maintained BDNF-ERK-CREB signaling and synaptic proteins.
Alzheimer s & Dementia
December 1, 2025
Danielle Bukovsky, Aron Amaev, Jianmeng Song et al.
In a small pilot sample of two older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and three healthy controls, two doses of 25 mg psilocybin given one week apart were safe and well tolerated, with no unexpected or serious adverse events. Expected side effects included dizziness and altered perception, all of which resolved without lasting effects. This double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study uses PET imaging to measure psilocybin's effect on synaptic density in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, and whether changes relate to improved cognition. Preliminary findings support the feasibility of investigating psilocybin in supervised medical settings as a potential treatment for amnestic mild cognitive impairment.
Alzheimer s & Dementia
December 1, 2025
Anjali Rose Friedman
A research hypothesis proposes that two mushrooms, Psilocybe cubensis and Hericium erinaceus, could mitigate neurological and neuropsychological symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Psilocybe cubensis may increase microglial cells and insulin-degrading enzymes to break down beta-amyloid plaques and reduce neuro-inflammation, while psilocybin interacts with the 5HT-2A serotonergic pathway dampened in Alzheimer's patients. Hericium erinaceus extracts (hericenones and erinacines) may mimic nerve growth factors to protect neurons from tau tangles, reduce tau and beta-amyloid levels, reverse myelin sheath degradation, and increase hippocampal cell proliferation. The authors suggest increased funding and lenience for experimental use of Psilocybe cubensis in mental and brain health.