Researchers at Cornell University in Ithaca have detailed how psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, rewires connections in the brain. In a study published on December 5 in the journal Cell, a team led by Cornell investigators used a combination of psilocybin and a modified rabies virus to map brain circuits. The study found that psilocybin weakens cortico-cortical feedback loops, which may be involved in recurring negative thought patterns, and strengthens pathways from cortical areas to subcortical regions that convert sensory information into action.

The research was led by postdoctoral researcher Quan Jiang and senior author Alex Kwan, Ph.D. ’09, a professor of biomedical engineering at Cornell Engineering. Kwan’s lab has been studying how psychiatric drugs such as psilocybin, ketamine, and 5-MeO-DMT change brain circuitry. Previous work from this team in 2021 demonstrated that a single psilocybin dose causes rapid growth of dendritic spines, indicating structural plasticity in the brain.

The ongoing research aims to understand not only the formation of new synaptic connections but also which specific brain circuits are affected by psilocybin. The findings may provide insights into how psychedelic treatments could improve conditions like depression.

Source: Cornell University

Source Type: College

Source Location: Ithaca

Ithaca, NY

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