Research finds “profound” but temporary impact of psilocybin on brain networks

30 Jul 2024 — Psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, temporarily scrambles a critical network of brain areas involved in introspective thinking, such as daydreaming and remembering. Researchers note that their study provides a neurobiological explanation for the compound’s mind-bending effects and potentially lays the groundwork for developing psilocybin-based therapies for mental illnesses. 

The authors developed a process to visualize the impact of psilocybin on individual participants’ functional brain networks — neural communication pathways between brain regions — and to link changes in these networks with participants’ subjective experiences.