Heat map of brain activity patterns after taking psilocybin. Sara Moser / Washington University School of Medicine Psilocybin is a compound found primarily in mushrooms , especially mushrooms from the Psilocybe family, the so-called magic mushrooms . When ingested, it transforms into another substance, psilocin, which has psychedelic properties. Psychedelics are compounds that are able to create altered states of consciousness. They allow us to perceive reality differently. Specifically, psilocybin, or psilocin, activates serotonin receptors in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter mainly related to mood and emotions. This activation produces an effect on the brain.
Psilocybin consumption first causes acute effects that last about six hours after ingestion. Our normal brain connections — which make us perceive what we perceive and feel we feel — change and tend to become disorganized, typically leading to hallucinogens in which reality is perceived differently. You may see different colors or have visual hallucinations, feel that you are not yourself, and that the concept of self and the perception of time are distorted. This is largely due to this disorganization of the brain’s connections.
There are other effects that are more persistent and can last up to 21 days. These effects have more to do with mental health research because they affect brain plasticity. Plasticity is the brain’s ability to transform, create new neurons, generate new connections, etc. It is believed that these substances are capable of expanding brain plasticity, the ability to learn. This leads, for example, to improved mood or a better response to psychotherapy, which is essential to ensuring that the positive effects caused by these substances continue. In other words, what these substances do is facilitate the recovery process from depression and other mental health issues.
They also cause persistent changes in brain connectivity. After the six hours I mentioned earlier, connectivity is restored, and you feel normal again, but there are still some more subtle effects on connectivity that have also been linked to improvements in symptoms of depression. After treatment, the person can experience a rapid improvement in mood and an attenuation of depressive symptoms , which can sometimes […]
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