Psilocybin's Lasting Impact on Brain Activity: A Week-Long Disruption of the Default Mode Network

St. Louis, Missouri United States of America
Disruption of the default mode network (DMN) lasts for three weeks.
Findings may help accelerate drug development efforts for various psychiatric illnesses.
Loss of synchrony in the DMN may explain altered perceptions and increased flexibility in how people view themselves and their relationship to their environment.
Psilocybin, a compound found in magic mushrooms, influences brain activity for weeks after consumption.
Psilocybin's Lasting Impact on Brain Activity: A Week-Long Disruption of the Default Mode Network

In a groundbreaking study, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis discovered that the psychedelic compound psilocybin found in magic mushrooms can influence brain activity for weeks after consumption. The team, led by Dr. Joshua Siegel, carried out a randomized control trial with seven healthy participants who had previously taken psilocybin.

The study revealed that taking psilocybin was associated with a loss of synchrony in the default mode network (DMN), which is responsible for creating a sense of self and linking to perception of space and time. This disruption lasted for three weeks after the dose, shedding light on why taking psilocybin can result in altered perceptions.

The researchers noted that this finding may help explain reports of increased flexibility in how people view themselves and their relationship to their environment after taking psilocybin. This plasticity is thought to underpin psychedelic-based interventions for conditions such as treatment-resistant depression by making the brain more open to therapy.

The study also highlighted the importance of understanding precisely how psilocybin affects the brain, as it has shown promise in treating mental health disorders like depression and PTSD. However, medical supervision is necessary during its use due to potential risks and unpredictable effects.

Psilocybin showed promise as a treatment for depression in the 1950s and 60s but research was halted due to restrictive federal drug policy. The current study provides a roadmap for evaluating the effects of psychoactive drugs on brain function, potentially accelerating drug development efforts for various psychiatric illnesses.

Sources: [1] Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis (2024). Psilocybin generates psychedelic experience by disrupting brain network. ScienceDaily. [2] Dosenbach, N. U., Nicol, G. E., & Siegel, J. S. (2024). Mind-Bending: Psilocybin Reshapes Brain Networks for Weeks. [3] Nature (2024). Your brain on shrooms — how psilocybin resets neural networks


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Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • Are there any potential long-term negative effects of psilocybin on brain function?
  • Is this study representative of the general population or just a small sample size?
  • What are the exact mechanisms by which psilocybin disrupts the default mode network?

Sources

90%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Mind-Bending: Psilocybin Reshapes Brain Networks for Weeks

Neuroscience News Neuroscience News Wednesday, 17 July 2024 13:35
  • Unique Points
    • Psilocybin temporarily disrupts brain networks involved in introspective thinking for weeks.
    • Brain flexibility is increased after psilocybin use.
    • Medical supervision is necessary during psilocybin use due to potential risks and unpredictable effects.
    • The study provides a roadmap for evaluating the effects of psychoactive drugs on brain function, potentially accelerating drug development efforts for various psychiatric illnesses.
    • Psilocybin showed promise as a treatment for depression in the 1950s and 60s but research was quashed due to restrictive federal drug policy.
    • Individuals’ functional brain networks are temporarily wiped out during a psilocybin trip and their individuality is lost until the acute effects wear off.
    • The intensity of subjective experiences during psilocybin use correlates with changes to functional brain networks.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (50%)
    The article makes several statements that could be considered deceptive or misleading. First, the title 'Mind-Bending: Psilocybin Reshapes Brain Networks for Weeks' implies a permanent change in brain networks when the study only shows temporary disruptions. Second, the statement 'These changes persist for weeks, potentially making the brain more flexible and improving mental health' is an opinionated statement by the author about potential benefits of psilocybin without providing any evidence or peer-reviewed studies to support this claim. Third, in describing psilocybin as a treatment for depression in the 1950s and '60s, the article states 'These days, we know a lot about the psychological effects and the molecular/cellular effects of psilocybin.' However, it does not mention that research on its therapeutic potential has been largely halted due to restrictive drug policies. Lastly, while the study did recruit participants for controlled experiments under medical supervision, it is important to note that this research is still in its early stages and more studies are needed before any definitive conclusions can be made about the safety and efficacy of psilocybin as a treatment.
    • The findings provide a neurobiological explanation for the drug’s mind-bending effects and lay some of the groundwork for the development of psilocybin-based therapies for mental illnesses such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
    • These changes persist for weeks, potentially making the brain more flexible and improving mental health.
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

100%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Psilocybin in magic mushrooms can influence brain for weeks, study finds

theguardian.com Article URL: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/13/ pakistan-·coalition-·agrees-to-form-government Nicola Davis Wednesday, 17 July 2024 15:00
  • Unique Points
    • The psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms, psilocybin, can influence the brain for weeks after consumption.
    • The results showed that taking psilocybin was associated with a loss of synchrony in the default mode network.
    • This disruption may explain the altered sense of self and perception of space and time experienced during a psychedelic trip.
    • The reduction in communication between the default mode network and anterior hippocampus lasted for three weeks after psilocybin consumption.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

91%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

This Is Literally Your Brain on Drugs

The Name Of The NZ Prefix. I PWA NZI.P.Was Dropped. Andrew Jacobs Wednesday, 17 July 2024 15:00
  • Unique Points
    • A study was conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis where participants were given psilocybin before sending them into a functional M.R.I. scanner.
    • The brain scans produced by the researchers offer a rare glimpse into the neural changes associated with mind-altering drugs.
    • Dr. Nico Dosenbach, a professor of neurology at Washington University and a senior author of the study, was surprised by the effect size of psilocybin on the whole brain.
  • Accuracy
    • Psilocybin temporarily disrupts brain networks involved in introspective thinking for weeks.
    • The psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms, psilocybin, can influence the brain for weeks after consumption.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

82%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Your brain on shrooms — how psilocybin resets neural networks

Nature Magazine Kozlov, Max Wednesday, 17 July 2024 16:46
  • Unique Points
    • Study finds that psilocybin, a compound in magic mushrooms, temporarily resets networks of neurons responsible for controlling sense of time and self.
    • Changes in brain-network patterns were so significant that some participants’ brains resembled those of different people.
    • Effects on the brain lasted for hours to weeks, specifically the communication between default mode network and anterior hippocampus was disrupted for weeks.
  • Accuracy
    • Individuals’ functional brain networks are temporarily wiped out during a psilocybin trip and their individuality is lost until the acute effects wear off.
  • Deception (30%)
    The article makes several statements that imply facts without providing peer-reviewed studies to back them up. For example, the statement 'These findings, published in Nature on 17 July1, could offer insights into why the compound might have a therapeutic effect on some neurological conditions.' and 'Despite promising data that have sped treatments towards approval, researchers still don’t fully understand the mechanism that underlies their therapeutic effects.' do not provide any references or studies to support these claims. Additionally, the article uses emotional manipulation by describing the brain changes as 'massive' and 'huge', which is an attempt to elicit an emotional response from readers.
    • These findings, published in Nature on 17 July1, could offer insights into why the compound might have a therapeutic effect on some neurological conditions.
    • Despite promising data that have sped treatments towards approval, researchers still don’t fully understand the mechanism that underlies their therapeutic effects.
  • Fallacies (90%)
    The article contains some inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority without directly attributing fallacies to the author. The author reports on a study that found psilocybin temporarily resets entire networks of neurons in the brain responsible for controlling a person's sense of time and self. This is presented as an explanation for why psilocybin might have therapeutic effects on some neurological conditions, without committing the author to this view. The inflammatory language comes from phrases such as 'reset entire networks of neurons', 'ressemble those of a different person entirely', and descriptions of the effects as'massive'. The appeal to authority comes from quoting other researchers who were impressed by the study's findings. No formal fallacies appear to be present in the author's statements.
    • Taking psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound found in magic mushrooms, temporarily resets entire networks of neurons...
    • Researchers “saw such massive changes induced by psilocybin” that some study participants’ brain-network patterns resembled those of a different person entirely...
    • Psilocybin is one of several psychedelic drugs... being investigated as therapies for conditions such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

93%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Psilocybin generates psychedelic experience by disrupting brain network

Washington University School of Medicine Tamara Schneider Wednesday, 17 July 2024 15:00
  • Unique Points
    • Understanding precisely how the drug affects the brain will help scientists and doctors harness its therapeutic potential.
    • Psilocybin showed promise as a treatment for depression in the 1950s and ’60s, but research was quashed due to restrictive federal drug policy.
  • Accuracy
    • Psilocybin temporarily disrupts brain networks involved in introspective thinking for weeks.
    • Brain flexibility is increased after psilocybin use.
    • Individuals’ functional brain networks are temporarily wiped out during a psilicybin trip and their individuality is lost until the acute effects wear off.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (90%)
    The article does not commit any formal fallacies or appeal to authority. It does not use inflammatory rhetoric and there are no dichotomous depictions. However, the author makes a few claims without providing supporting evidence which slightly lowers the score. The examples provided demonstrate these claims.
    • The findings provide a neurobiological explanation for the drug’s mind-bending effects.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication