"Magic" Mushroom Psilocybin May Be Effective in Reversing Depression
The blog post “Magic Mushrooms May Reset the Brains of Depressed Patients” explains the impact that psilocybin may have on the brain, and particularly for patients with depression. A distinct correlation has been found between people who intake psilocybin and their levels of emotional and mental wellness. In fact, psilocybin seems to reduce the symptoms of depression, as it resets the brain activity of patients. This discovery began with researchers of Imperial College London, who used these “magic” mushrooms containing psilocybin on patients. Ultimately, the patients who took these magic mushrooms saw benefits lasting up to five weeks after they stopped taking the mushrooms. The researchers concluded that the mushrooms helped reset and reverse the action pathways of key brain circuits that influence depression.
Images of the brains were compared before and after the treatment, and there was evident change between the images post-treatment. More parts of the brain lit up with the psilocybin, meaning initial depression levels had declined. Scientists are nevertheless not sure if using medications with such chemicals would work for everyone in the patient population, as the research project was limited by its small sample size. Despite the sample size, the people that underwent the treatments did ultimately get better. In fact, one person said he felt rebooted and refreshed following treatment. This has led to the conclusion that psilocybin effectively allows people to overcome their depressive states without any foreseen or prominent side effects.
In the recent Imperial trail, 20 patients completed the treatment. They were given two doses of psilocybin, one that was 10 mg, and the other that was 25 mg, and the second dose of 25 mg was given one week after the first dose of 10 mg. The MRI scans showed reduced blood flow in certain parts of the brain. Additionally, the amygdala, a small almond-shaped part of the brain that responds to different emotions, such as happiness and fear, received less blood flow following treatment. Furthermore, psilocybin stabilizes another brain network associated with depression. This means that psilocybin directly treats the parts of the brain that are associated with depression, and thus, allows patients to eliminate symptoms of depression.
The real question following these studies is what happens after these people undergo the treatment, and if the treatment is temporary or long-lasting. The way to follow the alteration of the brain is through reintegration. As Dr. Carhart-Harris explained, through gathering data of images of the patient’s brains, they were able to gauge the effects that the treatment had on the people with chronic depression. Based on the images, the treatment did in fact work on patients with ongoing depression. Psychedelics seem to allow the brain networks that manage depression to reset, ultimately curing depressive states. In a sense, this is like inducing a clean slate for those who have suffered from depression.
It is, however, urged that people do not try to self-medicate with psilocybin, as it can be very harmful and dangerous to do so. Moreover, more studies have to be made with the psilocybin in order for scientists to fully understand the effects on people with depression, as well as to see if derived medications have any long-term side effects. If psilocybin is effective for those with chronic depression, this method is a game changer, as psilocybin is highly accessible and seems to be a more immediate cure for depression than antidepressants. However, more research is needed and psilocybin may not be for everyone.
References:
“Magic Mushrooms May Reset the Brains of Depressed Patients.” ScienceBlog.com, 13 Oct. 2017, scienceblog.com/496912/magic-mushrooms-may-reset-brains-depressed-patients/.
