A Single Dose of Psilocybin Linked to Lasting Anatomical Brain Changes
A University of California, San Francisco, and Imperial College London study found that a single dose of psilocybin can cause lasting changes in brain structure and improve mental flexibility. One month after the dose, participants showed denser neural tracts and reported higher levels of well-being and cognitive flexibility.
Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, and Imperial College London studied the effects of psilocybin on 28 healthy volunteers. Participants received a 1 mg dose as a placebo, followed by a 25 mg dose one month later. EEGs and MRI scans tracked brain activity and structure. Within 60 minutes of taking the high dose, EEGs showed a spike in brain entropy. One month later, participants reported higher levels of well-being and cognitive flexibility, and their brain's neural tracts were denser. The degree of brain entropy during the trip predicted the person's insight the next day, which then predicted their improved well-being a month later. The study suggests that psilocybin can physically remodel brain structure and improve mental flexibility after just one session.
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