UC Berkeley’s first human study of psilocybin, a Schedule 1 drug, marks a pivotal moment in the growing movement to use psychedelics for medical purposes. Amid mounting efforts to explore medical purposes for federally controlled psychedelic drugs , UC Berkeley researchers will use neuroimaging to observe how psilocybin alters the brain — the university’s first human study involving a Schedule 1 substance.
While previous research has predominantly focused on the drug’s influence on clinical symptoms or human behavior, this study aims to uncover how the brain constructs reality under the influence of psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms.
Healthy participants will ingest psilocybin and then perform simple perceptual tasks while activity in the part of the brain that processes visual information is recorded using functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI.
“We have this incredible opportunity to characterize the psychedelic experience in real-time — while it’s happening — using modern neuroimaging methods,” Michael Silver, the director of the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics, and the study’s lead investigator, said in a recent university press release . “Understanding the actions of psychedelics at a neuroscientific level will generate insights into how they’re working as medicines and will hopefully help us develop more effective treatments for mental health disorders.”
A growing body of research suggests psilocybin, when administered in controlled conditions with supportive therapy, is a promising treatment for psychiatric disorders such as addiction and anxiety. Individuals suffering from long-term, debilitating depression have reported significant relief after a single session of psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Still, several recent attempts to reintroduce banned drugs into medical practice have hit roadblocks. Earlier this year, SB 1012 , a bill championed by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) to legalize psychedelic-assisted therapy, failed to advance to a full Senate vote. The Senate analysis indicated “unknown significant ongoing costs, likely ranging in the low millions of dollars,” a daunting prospect given the state’s projected $56 billion budget deficit .
Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill to decriminalize the possession and personal use of hallucinogenic drugs, citing the need for more rigorous guidelines to ensure safe use. Similarly, this spring, […]
UC Berkeley Launches Landmark Study: How Exactly Do Magic Mushrooms Alter the Brain?
