A new study shows that the active ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms drug, called psilocybin, could affect the brain long after exiting the user’s system.
To date, most experiments of this type have focused on acute symptoms of psilocybin. Or how the brain functioned when under the influence of the drug.
Here Are The Details On How Mushroom Drug Effects The Brain:
Key Facts
- More than 180 species of “magic” mushrooms contain a psychoactive compound called psilocybin.
- After you eat psilocybin, the stomach converts it to another chemical called psilocin, which creates brain changes.
- Increases visual cortex activity. This leads to vision changes and reduces network activity in the default network mode. Thus, it drives ego loss experience.
- Researchers agree that combining these results makes psilocybin an important tool. People can use it for combating depression and addiction, supported by research.
How Do Mushroom Drug Effects The Body?
Psilocybin is a drug found in magic mushrooms. It causes the user to undergo a visual stimulation of saturated colors and shapes. New research has shown that this effect occurs because the brain is “hyperconnected.” And it allows for enhanced connectivity between various areas. Researchers hope that they can manipulate this ability in the manufacture of drugs. The aim is to treat neurological disorders.
The chemical works by binding the same receptors to the brain as the neurotransmitter serotonin. This helps the drug to change the mood. Although many people have a happy, meaningful ride, some might have a “bad trip.” Some may experience extreme anxiety. Getting high on psilocybin is not about creating a colorful, psychedelic experience for a few hours. It can induce brain changes that last for a year. These changes have led to a more open personality for the creative arts and have made them happier. This effect is present even 14 months after acquiring the psilocybin.
Shrooms Will Make You Feel Good
According to the National Center for Drug Addiction, magic mushrooms can lead to relaxation. This effect is similar to the effects of low doses of marijuana.
Like other hallucinogenic drugs, shrooms produce much of their effects by operating on neuronal highways in the brain that uses serotonin as a neurotransmitter.
Magic mushroom drug affects the brain’s prefrontal cortex. It is a part of the brain that controls abstract thinking and plays a vital role in mood and perception.
Hallucinations may be important for understanding how shrooms can help relieve depression.
Imperial College London neuroscientist David Nutt wrote a 2012 report on psilocybin. He also found improvements in people’s drug-related brain activity patterns.
In depressed people, Nutt believes that the links between brain circuits in this sense-of-self area are too strong. “People who get into depressive thinking, their brains are overconnected,” Nutt said to Psychology Today.
But loosening those connections and building new ones, the thought goes on, could offer an intense relief. Some researchers believe that shrooms can also help to relieve anxiety after their usage.
Researchers saw the effects of psilocybin on volunteers who got either psilocybin in pill form or placebo. They got this result in a New York University report on how the drug could affect cancer patients with extreme anxiety. Nick Fernandez, a 2014 participant, says his trip led him to see “a force greater than himself.”
NYU psychotherapist Jeffrey Guss told the New Yorker that all of the patients saw a similar result. He added, “We believe that to be part of the healing process.
You May Have An Out-Of-Body Experience
Mushroom drug effects may induce experiences that seem true, but they are not.
According to the National Institute for Drug Addiction, some have these types of out-of-body experiences. In this phase, users may observe a version of themselves. This phase usually begins 20 to 90 minutes after consuming the drug and may last up to 12 hours.
Experiences can vary depending on your take, personality, mood, and even your surroundings.
You Might Feel More Open Or More Imaginative
You might feel more open or imaginative after taking the drug. Johns Hopkins’ psychologists stimulated body interactions in a small group of volunteers. The volunteers said they felt more open, more creative, and more appreciative of beauty.
A year later, the researchers followed up with the volunteers. Almost two-thirds said that the experience was one of the most important in their lives. Almost half continued to score higher on a personality openness test than they had since taking the drug.
You May Also Feel Anxious-at Least When You’re On The Drug
In many NYU case studies, participants reported experiencing extreme anxiety and discomfort. They felt this way, ranging from a few minutes to a few hours during their trip.
After that, some have said that they have begun to feel relief. This experience can vary significantly for each individual.
A Scientific Look at Your Brain On Shrooms
Denver Psilocybin Mushroom Decriminalization Initiative advocates believe that drugs can help adults manage psychological stress, addiction, and suicidal ideation. Are they right? Let’s take a trip through the scientific literature to find out about it.
- Mind Meld
Where: The prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, basal ganglia
Brain Activity: The liver transforms psychedelic psilocybin molecules into a “psilocin.” It is a chemical compound that activates happy-making serotonin neurons before the trip starts. It lasts for about six hours.
Brace Yourself: After half an hour or so, you might start to feel dizzy.
Possible Effects: Participants in a 2012 study in Switzerland were more likely to choose happy photos than sad ones. This lead researchers to suggest that psilocybin could treat depression if combined with therapy.
- Chaos Begets Creativity
Where: The neural pathways of the brain
Brain Activity: Like high school cliques, each brain cortex normally only communicates with itself. The brain cortex is an area with a particular function, such as memory or emotion. However, Shrooms are forging new communication pathways. These allow, for example, the sight and the auditory cortices to chat.
Brace Yourself: Some cosmic adventurers claim “synesthesia” (the confusion of senses). Don’t panic whether you hear colors or see sounds.
Possible Effects: Totems of art sing praises of mushrooms. Actress Susan Sarandon, for one, reveals she’s had intense addiction experiences.
- Caution Ahead
Where: Lateral ventricles, temporal and frontal lobe sections
Brain Activity: The brain scans of patients with schizophrenia often show variations in the areas mentioned above. This explains the adverse effects reported when these individuals try shrooms.
Brace Yourself: Some scientists fear that psilocybin could cause schizophrenic episodes in those with any disorder.
Possible Effects: People with schizophrenia should not partake until more research is done. And for all the rest, just a reminder. Shrooms are still illegal. And there is not enough research to determine whether they are healthy in the long run. If you’re set to experiment, experts say you should do so in a safe location. Ideally, try with a sober friend, even if you have a clean bill of health.
The Bottom Line
Suppose you are going through a personal crisis or using mushrooms in an unhealthy environment. The chances of a “bad trip” will then rise.
There are no guarantees for mushrooms because they’re an unprocessed plant product, and a bad trip can and does happen. Suppose someone has ingested mushrooms and has a “bad trip,” feeling panic or fear. Then seek medical assistance immediately.
