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The rich flora of this planet houses a variety of plants and fungi. From the Venus Flytrap’s deathly claws to the Shameplant’s shyness, we can find a variety of plants. Present among those are the Psychedelic Mushrooms, popularly known as Magic Mushrooms. These mushrooms contain a chemical called the psilocybin, which makes people hallucinate.
Magic mushrooms have a long history, and people have used it in certain traditions. Even today, many tribes use these psychedelic mushrooms as a part of their traditions. Because of its effects on the brain, like hallucinations, distorted sights, and sounds, it may also cause people to lose their sense of time and space.
However, to look on the brighter side, many doctors have found the effects of psilocybin to be useful in the treatment of certain mental disorders.
Psilocybin – The Chemical that Changes (Brain) Chemistry
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The mushrooms that come under the category of psychedelic mushrooms, also known as magic mushrooms primarily contain psilocybin chemicals. This chemical has a powerful impact on a person’s brain. It is said that it has the potential to alter their sense of reality, which thus leads them to hear, see, and feel things that might not be happening in reality. In some cases, psilocybin makes a person see/experience reality differently.
With a long history of use, it is said that the indigenous people in Central America in 3000 B.C. used these magic mushrooms for healing and other spiritual rituals. With the results of this, scientists began digging deeper into the effects of psilocybin, along with other popular substances of LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide), and research into their potential to treat mental disorders.
In recent years, psychedelic mushrooms have caught the attention of doctors and scientists alike. Psilocybin, the primary chemical present in these mushrooms is now being looked at as a potential drug to help treat severe mental conditions like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction, pain, and other neurodegenerative disorders.
| A survey published in 2001 stated that about 7,000 people, or nearly 7% people were using psilocybin mushrooms in the previous year. The primary goals of using the magic mushrooms were to have fun, improve their well-being, or even treat a medical disorder like depression or anxiety. |
What Magic Mushrooms Do to Your Brain?
After a person consumes psilocybin, the body converts it into another substance called psilocin. This then attaches itself and activates the receptors for the chemical serotonin in the brain. Many researchers think that this activity is the primary reason why a person experiences reality differently when they take mushrooms. Psilocin is also known to affect the brain function and the communication between different regions.
Altering the patterns of brain activity, psilocin has profound effects on the consciousness of a person.
Brain activity is affected such that some regions show increased activity and connectedness, while others are not as active.
Research studies have suggested that psilocybin can disturb the communication between different brain regions – known as the default mode network temporarily. This is the network that is most active when people self-reflect. This then reduces a person’s sense of self-awareness and leads to a greater feeling of connectedness and openness to the world.
Magic Mushrooms or Magic Medicines?
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Researchers are studying the potentials of psilocybin for the treatment for many health disorders. Some of these include:
1. Substance Use Disorders
The initiatory research into psychedelic mushrooms’ effect on mental disorders suggests that the chemical psilocybin may be useful in treating conditions like substance disorders, including tobacco use disorder. Currently, NIDA has funded a large, multi-site study to find the effectiveness of psilocybin versus a nicotine patch.
2. Anxiety and Depression
There are proven results that psilocybin can be effective in the treatment of depression and anxiety. FDA had granted a “Breakthrough Therapy” designation for two formulations of psilocybin, which were being studied for their efficacy as a medically safe treatment for depression.
3. Illness-Related and End-of-Life Anxiety
According to a study, some psychedelics have been shown to greatly reduce anxiety and depression in people with cancer. These psychedelic mushrooms have also improved their quality of life, promoted well-being, and made it easier to accept their illness and its related issues.
Leading Institutes Advancing Research on Psychedelic Mushrooms for Mental Health Disorders
- Psilocybin-Assisted Smoking Cessation
Since 2008, researchers at the Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have been exploring the potential of psilocybin, a naturally occurring hallucinogen, as a treatment for nicotine addiction. Under the leadership of Principal Investigator Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D., and Co-Investigator Roland R. Griffiths, Ph.D., an initial pilot study demonstrated that combining cognitive behavioral therapy with controlled psilocybin administration in a laboratory setting was both safe and feasible for individuals seeking to quit smoking after previous treatments had failed.
Dr. Peter Hendricks from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and Dr. Michael Bogenschutz from New York University (NYU) have each initiated research programs focusing on psilocybin as a treatment for substance use disorders. Both institutions are collaborating with Johns Hopkins to advance the current study on psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation.
| Key Points: |
| Psilocybin Research: Johns Hopkins has been investigating psilocybin’s role in smoking cessation since 2008. Successful Pilot Study: The pilot study at Johns Hopkins showed that combining psilocybin with cognitive behavioral therapy was safe and feasible for smoking cessation, particularly in people who had not succeeded with other treatments. Collaborative Research: UAB and NYU have independently initiated research on psilocybin for substance use disorders and are working with Johns Hopkins to further develop the smoking cessation study. Leading Researchers: The study is led by prominent researchers, including Dr. Matthew W. Johnson, Dr. Roland R. Griffiths, Dr. Peter Hendricks, and Dr. Michael Bogenschutz. |
- Optimal Psilocybin Dosing: Fixed vs. Weight-Adjusted Approaches
In 2021, researchers at Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research studied the effects of different dosing strategies for psilocybin therapy. They examined data from 10 previous studies (with a total of 288 participants) where psilocybin doses ranged from 20 to 30 mg per 70 kg of body weight. The focus was on understanding whether weight-adjusted or fixed doses of psilocybin lead to better therapeutic outcomes. Participants were grouped by dose:
- 120 people received 20 mg per 70 kg
- 182 people received 30 mg per 70 kg
- 103 people received a dose of about 25 mg, which is similar to what’s being tested for treating major depression.
The study found no significant links between factors like body weight, sex, or other demographics and the intensity of the drug’s effects. This means that, regardless of body weight (ranging from 49 to 113 kg), participants experienced similar effects. Based on these findings, using a fixed dose of psilocybin is more convenient and cost-effective than adjusting doses based on weight, without compromising the therapeutic outcome.
| Key Points: |
| Study Overview: Analyzed 288 participants across 10 studies to compare fixed vs. weight-adjusted psilocybin doses. Doses Tested: Participants received 20 mg, 30 mg, or about 25 mg of psilocybin. No Effect of Body Weight: Body weight (ranging from 49 to 113 kg) had no significant impact on the subjective effects of psilocybin. Fixed Dose Advantages: Fixed doses of psilocybin are easier to administer and more cost-effective than weight-adjusted dosing, with no loss in effectiveness. |
| Johns Hopkins Therapy Room Image Source: images.squarespace-cdn.com |
Background:
Psychedelics are gaining increasing attention in clinical research for their effects on mood and cognition. Psilocybin, one of the most extensively studied psychedelics, has demonstrated safety and clinical benefits for treating major depression and substance use disorders. Athletes, who frequently suffer concussions, often experience a range of symptoms, including cognitive and mood disturbances, which can persist for weeks or even months in 10%–30% of cases. Psilocybin may offer a new approach for managing persistent concussion symptoms in athletes.
Objectives:
This study aimed to explore the use of psychedelics and other substances among athletes and to assess the willingness of the sports community to participate in or support psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) for concussion recovery and the management of persistent post-concussion symptoms (PPCS).
Methods:
A total of 175 individuals (85 athletes and 90 team staff members) participated in an online survey distributed in Canada and the United States. The survey collected data on sport involvement, demographics, substance use, concussion history, and knowledge of and willingness to engage in psilocybin use. The study followed the CHERRIES (Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys) guidelines for online surveys.
Study Design:
Substance use rates were summarized separately for athletes and team staff. Path analysis was used to identify factors that predicted willingness to use or support PAT for concussion recovery in each group. Participants were also asked to identify perceived barriers to the implementation of PAT and their overall willingness to engage in it.
Results:
Psychedelics were the third most used substance among athletes in the past year (35.8%), although regular use was relatively low (7.5%). The path analysis, conducted using RStudio, revealed that both athletes’ and staff’s attitudes and knowledge about psilocybin were significant predictors of their willingness to use or support PAT for concussion recovery. Among athletes, 61.2% indicated they would likely engage in PAT, while 71.1% of staff members said they would support their athletes in using it.
Conclusion:
The findings suggest that the sports community may be open to using psilocybin-assisted therapy for concussion recovery and the management of persistent post-concussion symptoms. Future research is needed to explore the actual effects of psilocybin on PPCS, while addressing concerns about the long-term impact of its use.
In conclusion, there has been a significant investment in the U.S. psychedelic Mushroom Market, owing to its potential as a drug to treat anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders. This increased investment has resulted in accelerated research, leading to innovations in product formulations and delivery methods.
