Single Dose of Magic Mushroom Psychedelic Can Cause Anatomical Brain Changes 63
A small study found that a single 25mg dose of psilocybin produced measurable brain changes that were still visible a month later, along with reported improvements in psychological insight, wellbeing, and mental flexibility. The Guardian reports: Evidence for the changes came from specialized scans that measured the diffusion of water along nerve bundles in the brain. They suggested that some nerve tracts had become denser and more robust after the drug was taken. While the findings are preliminary, the scientists said the opposite was seen in ageing and dementia. "It's remarkable to see potential anatomical brain changes one month after a single dose of any drug," said Prof Robin Carhart-Harris, a neurologist at the University of California, San Francisco, and senior author on the study. "We don't yet know what these changes mean, but we do note that overall, people showed positive psychological changes in this study, including improved wellbeing and mental flexibility."
[...] Writing in Nature Communications, the researchers describe another key finding. Those who had the largest spike in brain entropy after psilocybin were most likely to report deeper psychological insight and better wellbeing a month later, underlining the link between flexible thinking and improved mental health. "It suggests a psychobiological therapeutic action for psilocybin," said Carhart-Harris. Prof Alex Kwan, a neuroscientist at Cornell University in New York, said studies in mice had shown that psychedelics can rewire connections between nerves, a form of "plasticity" that could underlie their therapeutic effects. The big question is whether the same occurs in humans. "This study comes closer than most to addressing that question, by giving evidence of lasting changes in brain structure after psychedelic use," he said. But while the results were "exciting," the study involved a small number of people and DTI provides an indirect and limited view of brain connections, he said.
[...] Writing in Nature Communications, the researchers describe another key finding. Those who had the largest spike in brain entropy after psilocybin were most likely to report deeper psychological insight and better wellbeing a month later, underlining the link between flexible thinking and improved mental health. "It suggests a psychobiological therapeutic action for psilocybin," said Carhart-Harris. Prof Alex Kwan, a neuroscientist at Cornell University in New York, said studies in mice had shown that psychedelics can rewire connections between nerves, a form of "plasticity" that could underlie their therapeutic effects. The big question is whether the same occurs in humans. "This study comes closer than most to addressing that question, by giving evidence of lasting changes in brain structure after psychedelic use," he said. But while the results were "exciting," the study involved a small number of people and DTI provides an indirect and limited view of brain connections, he said.
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Crazy amount of psychopaths downvoting this. I guess mind-altering drugs are real.
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Re: scares me too much ill never do that (Score:5, Interesting)
I believe that in the US, under current law anyway, "forcing" such medication on a patient would be illegal, malpractice, and anathema to any normal practitioner.
I'll admit that there are corner cases where some patients are forcibly medicated (I know of none where psilocybin is used), but simple walking-around-really-depressed isn't going to rise to a forced medication scenario.
I'll offer a couple more thoughts:
1. If it's the 'tripping' part that scares you, they're working on subcomponents of the drug that provide little to none of the psychedelic experience. No idea where the work on this currently stands.
2. An anecdote, not data: from my couple experiences with psilocybin decades ago, my trips rank among the best and peak experiences of my life. Not "dude, I'm so messed up" but instead, open to all the best things in my life, aware of the potential in my hands to shape my life for good, more confidence in myself than I'd ever felt.
Uniformly good, and I feel it still benefits me. I got a peek behind the corner of the scenery of life, and better understand what's 'really' going on; what obstacles I'm capable of putting in my own way.
Not everyone's experience is good, nor so good, but in an assisted, therapeutic setting, I can see how this can help people.
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I'm leery of professional practice as there has been numerous document cases of abuse by both practitioners and government. Can't say if that aspect has ended or is just more well hidden. I doubt the quest for a mind control drug has gone away.
That said, the benefits of psilocybin are well documented. I just don't trust the current regulatory environment.
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aware of the potential in my hands to shape my life for good ...
abuse by both practitioners and government
So ... can any of that potential be applied towards fixing the current governmental administration? Asking for a friend.
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Please remember the APA voted to torture and destroy the minds of people who wore Casio watches, and assisted in that torture program. (All anyone needed to be arrested under the bounty program was to be in a suspicious area or to have a highly accurate clock or watch. No actual evidence of wrongdoing was required.)
Many practitioners had absolutely no problems with abusing their knowledge and ability, not against actual terrorists or even people from the same nation as the terrorists, but against easy targe
Re: scares me too much ill never do that (Score:2)
Yeah, when I wrote "any normal practitioner", I was thinking of MK-ULTRA (as abnormal), but a CIA/DOD torturer/interrogator would fit the abnormal mold, too.
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I believe that in the US, under current law anyway, "forcing" such medication on a patient would be illegal, malpractice, and anathema to any normal practitioner.
That explains why Gavin Newsom wants to do it to the homeless.
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Crazy people are a real and serious problem (in California or anywhere else). Nor only do they lose their own lives to their illness, they cause crimes against others at far greater rates. Getting them the medication they need is the best solution for everyone, including the crazy person.
Source: I would be a crazy street person if not for medication, because I have a serious mental illness. My wife's best friend just went from being a normal wife and mother to being a crazy street person who abandoned he
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I'm in favor in theory, but in practice I don't trust my federal government, my state government, or the people of my country, or the people of my state, or the people of my county to make responsible decisions which respect freedom. I used to kind of trust the people of my state in the aggregate, but then they voted not to end slavery in this state because it would impact fire management.
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Citation needed.
Did it ever occur to you that you have that perception because when you notice a "crazy" person it's only because they've gone untreated for years and snapped? Do you live in a social setting where mental illness is freely discussed? If not, you'd be surprised how many people probably suffer from it around you and self-medicate.
The biggest contributor to violence from people with mental illness is the availability, or lack, of competent care. I will speak to the competent component, because
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NewScum wants to bring them back, because forced treatments are better than people suffering in the streets.
He wants to bring them back because he can profit from directing investment to his cronies. If he cared about people suffering in the streets he'd have directed some investment wisely and gotten them off of the streets. Or, you know, backed an empty unit tax that would make housing affordable again.
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I'll second this â" I did mushrooms once many years ago, and it ranks as one of the most intense euphoric experiences I have ever had. It was truly life-changing.
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anathema
How long have you been waiting to squeeze that into a conversation?
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Re: scares me too much ill never do that (Score:3)
One more thought:
Your thoughts and emotions also get changed and rewired by:
Reading books
Seeing lectures
Talking to people
Practicing an instrument
Doing math
Falling in love
Having and/or caring for a kid
And a whole bunch more.
Hope you're not willing to give all that up out of fear.
Re: scares me too much ill never do that (Score:5, Interesting)
The way you describe it isn't really how it works. It doesn't rewire your brain in an active sense so much as introduce elasticity for your brain to rewire itself. This is especially useful when the brain has gotten itself into a doom loop of depression or anxiety. The psilocybin allows you to break out of the doom loop and start your brain on the path of healthy development.
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The way you describe it isn't really how it works. It doesn't rewire your brain in an active sense so much as introduce elasticity for your brain to rewire itself. This is especially useful when the brain has gotten itself into a doom loop of depression or anxiety. The psilocybin allows you to break out of the doom loop and start your brain on the path of healthy development.
That sounds great. However, anything that causes anatomical brain chages that persist after a month, with a single dose, would be, by me, considered unacceptably risky. I'm not saying that it's by default considered bad, both you and the paper are talking about positive changes, and that's good. I'm saying, "risky," as in, I don't know what negative effects haven't been identified and I'd need a much more complete understanding before I'd be willing to try it.
Most of the positive effects are in reported wel
Re: scares me too much ill never do that (Score:2)
One problem I have with this push to use psychedelics as a mental health treatment is that I have seen first hand how damaging they can be to individuals predisposed to psychological issues.
Basically, people who are by and large sane and well adjusted mentally tend to find the experience of using psychedelics interesting and sometimes enlightening in some sense. People predisposed to mental illness. . .it can really exacerbate those issues. So to me it makes no sense as a treatment. People who need mental h
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I really don't think having a doctor present would change anything. The drugs still do what they do. Having doctors present to apply leeches didn't make that practice any more therapeutic.
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Well then, probably should avoid all alcohol. It causes small changes to the brain every time. Most accept this and are fine with it.
Re: scares me too much ill never do that (Score:2)
Learning new things also creates anatomical brain changes. That's what neuroplasticity is. You do you, but I think you may be getting hung up on the language used.
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If you want to be an angry delusional person, you can still be one even with psychedelics.
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Re: scares me too much ill never do that (Score:2)
It is funny that you mention that book, as the author disavowed it after taking psychedelics changed his perspective.
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I want to be a person who can manage their own psychological well being unaided.
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Bones are set by professionals, when needed. I will rely upon such people to set and immobilize my limb as they deem necessary. Likewise, psychedelics may have uses when under the supervision of a trained mental health expert. Not self administered or prescribed by Dr Feelgood.
Often times, following an injury or illness, you are never going to be quite as good as new, so to speak. This article appears to be about that. Shrooms might 'heal' you, but your brain won't be quite the same ever again.
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i fear this will eventually be forced on people who dont want it; who would rather get thru their problems themselves; rather than having their brain rewired and possibly personality changes no way i dont care how bad off i get i dont want anything changing who i am; how i see the world; or how i process my emotions
Years ago I lost quite a bit of money with a so-called meme stock Mind Med. Their idea was that psilocybin could be an important part of therapy, but not to be provided separately from talk-therapy. It was never meant to be over the counter medicine.
As for changing the way you are... trauma does that. wearing glasses does that. exercising does that. Let's not get too defensive.
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i fear this will eventually be forced on people who dont want it
That's OK. We'll put it in your toothpaste.
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> i fear this will eventually be forced on people who dont want it
Maybe if you're admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
Re: scares me too much ill never do that (Score:2)
As discussed elsewhere, neoliberalism has pushed healthcare into a commodified profit generator which very strongly promotes pill and procedure consumption.
But weâ(TM)re talking about a home remedy here, with seriously ancient origins. Adding psychedelics to the milieu could disrupt neoliberalismâ(TM)s hold.
Seems obvious (Score:2)
I woke up this morning and Pakistan was making strong efforts towards world peace. I feel like I'm in an alternate reality.
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Had some many years ago (Score:2)
Oh? (Score:1)
Also is it true that it's only good changes? *blinks*
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Moderation is key (Score:1)
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If it works, it works ... (Score:3)
> said studies in mice had shown that psychedelics can rewire connections between nerves, a form of "plasticity" that could underlie their therapeutic effects. The big question is whether the same occurs in humans.
It's an interesting question where the therapeutic effect of Psilocybin comes from, but there are everyday drugs like Acetaminophen (Tylenol) that are not fully understood. As long as it can be proved safe in some given dosage regime, then to an extent who cares how it works!
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"Acetaminophen"
Not with my liver you don't!
So Can A Fall From Horseback (Score:2)
I mean, choose your ride, get your ticket punched.
Those who conditioned you prefer you stay that way (Score:1)
A tip for psychopaths: don’t take these (Score:1)
Badger (Score:2)
Badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger mushroom mushroom
Badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger mushroom mushroom
snake snake snake snake snake!
This is my brain without any drugs. I do not want to reinforce anything there...