As psychedelic research continues to gain traction, many wonder how these mind-altering substances work in the brain and how they help reduce symptoms of various mental disorders and provide long-lasting improvements. While scientists seem to have various well-founded hypotheses, there still isn’t enough experimental evidence available on psychedelics to provide adequate answers about how these substances are responsible for therapeutic response.
However, new findings published in “Cell Reports,” a prominent scientific journal, indicate that ibogaine and classic psychedelics, such as LSD, DMT and psilocybin, as well as amphetamine analogs, i.e., DOI and MDMA, all converge at mTor (in the brain) to promote neuroplasticity. This is an important finding because stress-related disorders such as PTSD and depression can lead to a loss of synaptic connectivity, which enables communication between supporting cells and neurons.
In the report, researchers from the University of California demonstrated that when cortical neurons from rodents were placed in a dish with each of the psychedelic substances mentioned above, the complexity and number of the arbors and dendritic branches increased greatly. This means that the neurons changed their structures to make new connections. The reversal of synaptic loss has also been observed with the use of antidepressant drugs and ketamine and is thought to be a main way to decrease depression symptoms.
The research group then proceeded to demonstrate that the neuronal growth-enhancing features of these substances occurred not just in cell cultures but also in a rodent brain. When administered, DMT infused into the rodent’s prefrontal cortex, prompting dendritic spine growth. The prefrontal cortex is the region of the brain that shows a loss in neurons in individuals diagnosed with neuropsychiatric illnesses.
These experiments indicates that these drugs join on the BDNF-TrkB-mTOR signaling pathway, which is involved in structural plasticity. Previous research shows that these psychedelic substances grow brain-derived neurotropic factor by either enhancing glutamate levels or through the serotonin system. New evidence from this research points to how the brain can be functionally and structurally modified to produce fast-acting antidepressant effects.
These psychedelic substances, which promote the acquisition of new behaviors and ways of thinking, may enable positive behavioral change, and help alleviate excessive rumination and repetitive negative thoughts as well as be used to treat mental health disorders.
This new study is particularly important as it may help scientists as well as physicians better understand neurobiological mechanisms with regard to psychedelics therapeutic potential. This may in turn lead to better treatments and even the discovery of new drugs that can be used in psychiatric medicine.
Not all interest in psychedelics is on the medicinal side though. The use of functional mushrooms is also a growing trend. One company to watch in this regard is Rritual Mushrooms Inc. The company focuses on helping people meet the demands of life by adding adaptogens, functional mushrooms and other superfoods to their diet.
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