Psilocybin in Magic Mushrooms Disrupts Brain Networks, Causes Lasting Changes

Jul 17, 2024, 03:14 PM

New research published in Nature reveals that psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, disrupts the brain's default mode network, leading to a psychedelic experience. The study, which involved brain imaging and a randomized trial with fMRI in healthy participants, found that a large dose of psilocybin causes profound and widespread desynchronization of brain activity. This disruption affects entire networks of neurons responsible for controlling a person’s sense of time and self. The findings also indicate that psilocybin can influence brain communication pathways for weeks, causing lasting changes in how distinct brain regions connect.