Magic mushrooms as a treatment for depression
Clinical pharmacist January 1, 2017 DOI: 10.1211/cp.2017.20204046 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPsilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, may help treat depression, but how it works in the brain is not well understood. In a study of 19 patients with treatment-resistant depression, researchers gave two doses of psilocybin and used functional MRI to measure changes in brain blood flow. The results suggest the drug alters activity in certain brain regions, which could underlie its therapeutic effects. The findings indicate psilocybin may reduce depressive symptoms by modulating neural circuits, though the exact mechanism remains unclear.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 19 |
| Population | Patients with treatment-resistant depression |
| Intervention | Psilocybin |
| Dose | two doses |
| Key finding | Psilocybin alters brain blood flow in patients with treatment-resistant depression, suggesting a potential mechanism for its antidepressant effects. |
Abstract
Psilocybin, a psychoactive component of magic mushrooms, is thought to have therapeutic potential in psychiatric disorders but its mechanism of action within the brain is unclear. In a study, researchers gave two doses of psilocybin to 19 patients with treatment-resistant depression, and studied blood flow within the brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at […]