A single dose of psilocybin induces structural neuroplasticity!

There is a lot of current research that supports the notion that serotonergic psychedelics such as: LSD, DMT, and psilocybin "magic mushrooms" are able to effectively and sustainibly treat anxiety and depression after just a single use.

But How?

One explanation is that they induce positive changes in the synaptic density of brain regions associated with emotional processing. ( i.e., the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC).)

According to one study, a single dose of psilocybin changes the key proteins SV2A and 5-HT2AR in brain regions involved in emotional processing. Published in 2021, this was the largest animal study to investigate the effects of psilocybin on neural plasticity. The study found that a single dose of psilocybin increases the presynaptic marker, SV2A after one day and that it remains higher seven days after. SV2A is a prototype synaptic vesicle protein that is important for regulating action potential-dependent neurotransmitters release. In other words it is important for cell to cell communication!

They also showed a transient reduction in the hippocampus and PFC 5-HT2AR density. It is reduced one day after intervention but not seven days after. 5-HT2ARs are serotonin receptors, and they are also the receptors that psilocybin binds too!

This study was conducted in pigs so it is not clear if these results translate to humans. However, this was a great foundational study for better understanding how psilocybin and other psychedelics treat depression and anxiety on the molecular level. To read this full study visit my website www.neuro-psychedelic.com