prefrontal cortex – mycolab.ai

If psychedelics heal, how do they do it?

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Psychedelic drugs like MDMA and magic mushrooms are showing remarkable promise in treating serious mental health conditions like PTSD and depression, with clinical trials demonstrating higher success rates than traditional therapy alone. However, scientists still don’t fully understand how these drugs work at the molecular and brain level, or whether the hallucinations they produce are necessary for healing. Researchers are investigating whether modified versions without hallucinations could provide the same benefits while being easier to administer, while also exploring how individual factors and treatment environment affect outcomes.

Psilocybin-assisted therapy for severe alcohol use disorder: protocol for a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 7-month parallel-group phase II superiority trial

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This study tests whether psilocybin (the active compound in magic mushrooms) combined with therapy can help people with severe alcohol addiction reduce drinking. Participants receive either a high or low dose of psilocybin during a guided session as part of a hospital rehabilitation program. The researchers will measure changes in drinking behavior, mood, anxiety, and brain function to determine if this treatment works better than current options.

Changes in synaptic markers after administration of ketamine or psychedelics: a systematic scoping review

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This review examines how ketamine and psychedelics affect connections between brain cells. Under stressful conditions, ketamine and psychedelics appear to strengthen these connections in brain areas important for mood and learning. However, the effects are mixed under normal conditions and vary based on dose, sex, and which specific markers are measured. The findings suggest these substances may help restore brain function damaged by stress or substance use.

Psilocybin-induced changes in neural reactivity to alcohol and emotional cues in patients with alcohol use disorder: An fMRI pilot study

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This pilot study examined how psilocybin affects the brains of people with alcohol use disorder. Using brain imaging (fMRI), researchers found that psilocybin increased activity in brain regions associated with decision-making and emotional control while decreasing activity in regions linked to cravings. These findings suggest psilocybin may help people with alcohol addiction by enhancing their ability to regulate emotions and resist urges to drink.

Microdosing Psychedelics to Restore Synaptic Density in Schizophrenia

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Schizophrenia involves excessive loss of connections between brain cells in areas responsible for emotion and thinking, leading to negative symptoms and cognitive problems. Research shows that small doses of psychedelics like psilocybin can promote the growth of new brain connections and reduce inflammation. The authors suggest that microdosing psychedelics alongside standard treatments might help restore these lost connections and improve symptoms that don’t respond well to current medications.

Psilocybin, an Effective Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder in Adults – A Systematic Review

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Psilocybin, a naturally occurring compound found in certain mushroom species, shows significant promise as a treatment for depression. Clinical studies reviewed in this research found that psilocybin-assisted therapy reduced depressive symptoms in every patient studied, with improvements lasting months after treatment. Unlike traditional antidepressants, psilocybin caused only mild temporary side effects and worked faster, suggesting it could become an important alternative treatment for depression.

Vaping danger: A hidden threat among Malaysia’s youth

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A 15-year-old student in Malaysia was hospitalized after vaping a product labeled as having a magic mushroom flavor. Testing revealed the vape actually contained MDMB-4en-PINACA, a highly potent synthetic cannabinoid that is 100-200 times stronger than natural cannabis. This case highlights the danger of unregulated vaping products being mixed with illegal substances that can cause serious health effects including seizures, heart problems, and organ damage. Doctors and the public need to be aware of these hidden threats in vaping products.

Safety, feasibility, and tolerability of psilocybin in older adults with amnestic MCI: Preliminary data from a SV2a PET imaging study

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Researchers investigated whether psilocybin, a compound from certain mushrooms, could be safely used to treat memory problems in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. In this early-stage study, participants received either psilocybin or a placebo while researchers used brain imaging to measure changes in synaptic connections. The preliminary results suggest psilocybin was well-tolerated with manageable side effects like dizziness, and participants were able to complete the study without serious problems.

Neural mechanisms underlying psilocybin’s therapeutic potential – the need for preclinical in vivo electrophysiology

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Psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, shows promise for treating depression and other mental health conditions. This review examines how psilocybin works in the brain, particularly by affecting brain regions involved in self-reflection and emotion regulation. The authors argue that new brain recording techniques are needed to fully understand how psilocybin produces its beneficial effects, which could help improve treatments for people with severe depression.

Cell adhesion presence during adolescence controls the architecture of projection-defined prefrontal cortical neurons and reward-related action strategies later in life

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During teenage years, the brain undergoes important structural changes that set the stage for adult decision-making abilities. This study found that a cell adhesion protein called β1-integrin plays a critical role during adolescence in stabilizing connections between brain cells in the prefrontal cortex. When this protein was missing during the teenage years, adult mice struggled to make good decisions about rewards and could not adjust their behavior when circumstances changed. The research suggests that proper brain development during adolescence requires these cellular adhesion molecules to build the neural circuits needed for intelligent decision-making later in life.

Research Keyword: prefrontal cortex