BrainStuff Classics: Can Magic Mushrooms Help Stop Depression?

Depression treatment is better now than ever before thanks to a variety of prescription drug options and improved therapy techniques, but in some cases these proven therapies fall short. However, magic mushrooms just might be the key to giving those with depressions some much needed relief, according to a recent study by researchers at Imperial College London published in the

journal Scientific Reports. The albeit small study looked at the effects of psilocybin on nineteen patients for whom conventional depression therapies ailed. Psilocybin is the psychoactive compound that is naturally present in two hundred types of magic mushrooms. The researchers described the results as rapid and sustained. In fact, within weeks, the patients reported fewer depression symptoms, with several of them describing a brain reset. This reportedly lasts for up to

five weeks post treatment. Other studies have shown positive effects from using LSD and m d M, a the active ingredient in ecstasy, to treat some mental illnesses, but this is the first study to look at the effect of psilocybin on depression. Dr Robin Carhart Harris, head of psychedelic research at Imperial and leader of the study, said in a press release, we have shown for the first time clear changes in brain activity in depressed people treated the

psilocybin after failing to respond to conventional treatments. Several of our patients described feeling reset after the treatment and often used computer analogies. For example, one set he felt like his brain had been defragged like a computer hard drive, and another said he felt rebooted. Psilocybin maybe giving these individuals the temporary kickstart they need to break out of their depressive states, and these imaging results do tentatively support

a reset analogy. Similar brain effects to these have been seen with electro convulsive therapy, which by the way, is not as scary as it looks in movies and can be a real help to those for whom other therapies don't work. In the study, participants were given two doses of psilocybin a week apart. Functional MRI is done after each dose. Showed reduced blood flow in certain areas of the brain, particularly the amygdala, which is credited with processing fear, stress,

and emotional responses. Greater stability in a different brain network was also revealed. The tests appear to show that people undergo a temporary disintegration of brain networks during a trip, but reintegration follows soon after. Psilocybin has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries and became a popular recreational drug beginning in the nineteen sixties. Researchers warned that people should not attempt to self medicate, as the experimental treatment was

conducted in tandem with other therapy. They also note these small size of the study grew and the absence of a control group as cautions before making applications to the general population. However, the study author's right accumulating evidence suggests that psilocybin with accompanying psychological support can be used safely to treat a range of psychiatric conditions including end of life anxiety and depression, alcohol and tobacco addiction, obsessive compulsive disorder, and,

most recently from our group, treatment resistant major depression. They planned test psilocybin against a major antidepressant in another trial. Despite these positive results, psilocybin can also cause some pretty crazy side effects like panic attacks, paranoia, strange reactions, and outbursts. Also, eating the wrong mushroom to get high may result in poisoning, so seriously, don't undertake this treatment on your own. Today's episode was written by A. Leah Hoyt and produced by

Tristan McNeil and Tyler Clang. For more on this lots of other topics about brain stuff, visit how staffords dot com. Brain Stuff is production of I Heart Radio or more podcasts. My heart Radio visit the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. H