summary: Researchers are delving into the therapeutic potential of microdosing psilocybin and investigating its effects on stress resilience and compulsive behavior in rats.
While high-dose psilocybin therapy has been under scrutiny for its application in psychiatric treatment, the study found that repeated low-dose dosing (commonly known as “microdosing”) and the popularity of online self-medication narratives The focus is on what is rapidly increasing.
The findings revealed increased resilience to stress and decreased compulsive behavior in rodent subjects, as well as tolerance to psychedelic substances.
Additionally, enhanced connectivity to the brain’s thalamus, which is involved in decision-making and filtering concerns, suggests why numerous anecdotal reports praise the positive well-being effects of psychedelic mushrooms.
important facts
- Enhanced stress resistance: Rats repeatedly exposed to low doses of psilocybin showed increased resilience to stress and decreased compulsive behavior.
- Brain connectivity: A significant spike in connections to the thalamus, a key brain region involved in decision-making and filtering, was observed in rats after microdosing with psilocybin.
- Global traction: The phenomenon of microdosing has gained global attention, with several countries legalizing or moving toward legalizing psilocybin as a therapeutic intervention.
sauce: University of Southern Denmark
New research results from the University of Southern Denmark open the door to the possibility of using psilocybin, an active compound in mushrooms with psychedelic properties, as a therapeutic tool through microdosing.
Psilocybin has long been recognized as a classic psychedelic substance, and recently research has shown that it may help treat a variety of mental illnesses, primarily depression and addiction, through therapy supplemented with high doses of psilocybin. It has been.
In such treatments, patients take psilocybin after thorough treatment preparation and undergo a psychedelic experience in a supportive environment with a trained therapist. The experience is then integrated over several treatment sessions.
Experiments are being carried out on patients at hospitals such as Bispebjerg Hospital and Rigshospitalet.
Microdosing in rats
In a recent study published in Nature – Associate Professor of Molecular Psychiatry Mikael Pärner and PhD student Kat Kirlich from the Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine Research Unit at the University of Southern Denmark investigated the effects of small doses of psilocybin on rats.
They focused on repeated administration of low doses of psilocybin, commonly referred to as “microdosing,” which are significantly lower than those typically used in therapeutic settings.
– Microdosing is a phenomenon popularized within performance culture, particularly in areas such as California’s Silicon Valley, and then spread through stories and anecdotes on the internet as a form of self-therapy for various challenges. Michael Pärner, the final author of the book, explains: study.
Effective for stress and compulsive behavior
A study conducted on rats showed that the animals tolerated repeated doses of low doses of psilocybin well and showed no signs of decreased pleasure (anhedonia), anxiety, or changes in motor activity. .
Most notably, repeated administration of low doses of psilocybin increased the rats’ resilience to stress and led to fewer compulsive behaviors.
Additionally, an increased number of connections to the thalamus region of the brain, which acts as a kind of filter for our decisions and concerns, was observed.
– Changes in connectivity to the thalamus may contribute to enhanced human resilience to stressors, and why so many people report that small doses of psychedelic mushrooms have positive health effects Maybe you can explain why.
A promising new approach
Through the new study, researchers have established a valid method that can be used for further research into the effects of repeated administration of low doses of psilocybin. This study also supports numerous anecdotal reports of the benefits of microdosing as a therapeutic intervention.
This paves the way for further research and the possibility of entirely new approaches to treating a variety of mental disorders.
– Due to increased anxiety and stress in society, there is a current emphasis on microdosing and mushroom trade is booming. According to Mikael Pärner, countries such as the Netherlands, Australia, the United States and Canada have legalized or are in the process of legalizing psilocybin for therapeutic purposes.
– Therefore, it is important to understand the effects and side effects of these substances, which are already widely used by people around the world.
Enhanced understanding with possibilities
Michael Pärner became interested in researching psychedelics and psilocybin while living in California’s Silicon Valley 11 years ago, garnering significant media attention and inspiring more people to experiment with microdosing. I’ve seen a surge in self-improvement practices that have become more popular.
– A book was also published that popularized the concept of using small doses of psychedelics to address mental issues and improve performance. This is what motivated me to launch the project I have been working on for the past six years, says Michael Pärner.
– Now that we can determine the appropriate dose in rats, we can investigate the effects of microdosing, which could greatly advance our understanding of the brain and mental challenges. This benefits both the scientific field and society as a whole.
About this psychopharmacology research news
author: marianne lee becker
sauce: University of Southern Denmark
contact: Marianne Lee Becker – University of Southern Denmark
image: Image credited to Neuroscience News
Original research: Closed access.
“Repeated administration of low doses of psilocybin in rats increases resilience to stress, reduces compulsive behavior, and strengthens cortical connections to paraventricular thalamic nucleiWritten by Michael Parner et al. molecular psychiatry
abstract
Repeated administration of low doses of psilocybin in rats increases resilience to stress, reduces compulsive behavior, and strengthens cortical connections to paraventricular thalamic nuclei
Psilocybin, a classic serotonergic hallucinogen, has been evaluated for use in psychedelic-assisted treatment of several psychiatric disorders. A less-studied topic concerns the repeated use of low-dose psychedelics at doses far below those used in psychedelic-assisted therapy, often referred to as microdosing.
People who take microdoses of psilocybin frequently report increased mental health, but such reports are often highly biased and vulnerable to the placebo effect.
Here we establish and validate a psilocybin microdosing-like regimen in rats that repeatedly administers low doses of psilocybin at doses derived from rat brain 5-HT occupancy.2A Receptors in vivo.
Rats tolerated repeated low doses of psilocybin well, with no signs of anhedonia, anxiety, or changes in motor activity. There was no deficit in prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex, and treatment did not downregulate or desensitize her 5-HT.2A receptor.
However, repeated administration of low doses of psilocybin conferred resilience to the stress of multiple subcutaneous injections and reduced the frequency of grooming, a surrogate for human compulsions, while also increasing 5-HT. .7 Receptor expression and synaptic density in the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus. These results establish a well-validated regimen for further experiments investigating the effects of repeated administration of low doses of psilocybin.
The results further substantiate anecdotal reports of the benefits of psilocybin microdosing as a therapeutic intervention and point to a possible physiological mechanism.
