Psilocybin is one of the most fascinating natural substances in modern research into the brain and consciousness. Scientists are investigating its effects on, amongst other things, mental flexibility, mood, neuroplasticity, creativity, behaviour and our sense of connection.
This growing scientific interest also helps to explain why more and more people are taking an interest in psilocybin and microdosing.
But what does psilocybin actually do? And what benefits are currently being investigated?
We’ve put together a list of 10 interesting areas for you.
Psilocybin is a naturally occurring substance found in various types of mushrooms and truffles.
After ingestion, the body converts psilocybin into psilocin. This active ingredient affects the serotonin system and, amongst other things, binds to the 5-HT2A receptor.
Serotonin is involved in many processes in the brain, including mood, perception and cognition. Psilocybin can also temporarily alter the way different brain networks communicate with one another.
That is precisely what makes the subject so interesting to researchers.
One of the most interesting topics in psilocybin research is flexibility.
Our brains develop fixed patterns throughout our lives. This is useful: it means we don’t have to analyse every situation from scratch each time.
But sometimes, thoughts and behaviour can also become very entrenched.
Research into psilocybin has revealed changes in brain dynamics, cognitive flexibility and the way information is processed. A recent systematic review of potential antidepressant mechanisms describes, amongst other things, greater cognitive and neural flexibility following psilocybin administration within a supportive therapeutic context.
This makes the question particularly interesting as to whether a temporarily more flexible situation might create scope for different perspectives and new ways of thinking.
Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to adapt and alter its connections in response to new experiences.
And we retain that ability throughout our lives.
Psilocybin and other psychedelics are being studied for their influence on the processes involved in this plasticity. Research describes, amongst other things, changes in functional connectivity, neurotransmission and synaptogenesis as possible mechanisms underlying the effects of psilocybin.
This is an important area of research because neuroplasticity is involved in learning, adapting and developing new patterns.
Would you like to find out more about this? Then read our blog about psilocybin and neuroplasticity.
Much of the clinical research into psilocybin focuses on mood.
Randomised trials involving people with depressive disorder have found significant improvements in depressive symptoms following treatment with psilocybin in combination with psychological support. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews also show promising results, although study designs vary and research into long-term effects remains important.
In this regard, researchers are looking beyond just feel better.
The way in which people recognising, processing and experiencing emotions That sounds interesting. For example, a systematic review of cognition and emotional processing found changes in emotional recognition and cognitive flexibility among participants with depression.
We often think that our thoughts are an objective reflection of reality.
In reality, our brain is constantly drawing on existing expectations, memories and learned patterns.
Psilocybin appears to be capable of temporarily influencing the normal organisation and communication between brain networks. Researchers are trying to understand whether this altered state can help to loosen certain rigid patterns of thinking.
That idea now plays an important role in modern research into psychedelics.
Not simply:
think differently
but:
the freedom to see things differently.
Creativity is much more than just painting, making music or writing.
This also includes the ability to make new connections, to look at a problem from different perspectives and to come up with alternative solutions.
Psilocybin is therefore being studied in relation to creativity, divergent thinking and cognitive flexibility.
The results are mixed. Higher doses may actually cause a temporary decline in cognitive performance during the acute experience, whilst some studies report changes in certain aspects of creativity following the experience or at lower doses. Reviews show that the effect depends on factors including dose and the timing of the measurement.
So it’s not as simple as saying “psilocybin makes you creative”.
What is more interesting is that the substance appears to be able to influence how flexibly our brains process information and associations.
A prominent theme in psychedelic research is connectedness — connection.
During the study, participants describe, amongst other things, a changed sense of connection with themselves, other people or the world around them.
A recent systematic review of the mechanisms underlying psilocybin described a renewed sense of connection with oneself, others and the world as a recurring element in therapeutic change.
That’s interesting because well-being isn’t just determined by what in what’s going on in our heads.
The sense of connection we feel with ourselves, our surroundings and other people also plays an important role in how we experience life.
Psilocybin is attracting a great deal of scientific interest in research into depression and anxiety.
Randomised studies have shown positive results in terms of depressive symptoms when psilocybin is administered in a carefully controlled setting with psychological support.
Broader reviews of clinical research into psychedelics also identify therapeutic potential in conditions such as mood and anxiety disorders, amongst others.
It is precisely the combination of changes in emotional processing, brain networks, perspective and personal experience that makes this a particularly interesting area of research.
Why is it that sometimes we know full well that certain behaviour isn’t good for us — yet we carry on doing it anyway?
That is a fascinating question in the field of behavioural science.
Psilocybin is being investigated, amongst other things, for alcohol and tobacco-related problems.
In a randomised clinical trial on alcohol consumption, psilocybin combined with psychotherapy resulted in a significantly lower number of heavy drinking days than an active placebo combined with the same psychotherapy.
But perhaps the broader question is even more interesting:
Can a change in mental state help people to view their existing habits and behaviour in a different light?
Researchers are seeking to gain a better understanding of how the psychedelic experience, motivation, psychological support and changes in brain processes interact in this context.
Not everything that is valuable about psychedelics can be captured in a brain scan.
In research, participants regularly describe personal insights about themselves, their relationships, their emotions, their behaviour or what they consider important in their lives.
That is why concepts such as set, setting, intention and integration such a major role in psychedelic research.
After all, the experience does not take place in a vacuum.
Who you are, where you are, what you expect, and what you do with the experience afterwards can all form part of the process. Researchers are therefore increasingly emphasising the interaction between neurobiological changes, subjective experience and the context in which psilocybin is used.
This is very much in line with how we at Wise Rootz view microdosing:
not only take, but also observing and reflecting.
Perhaps this is, in the end, the most fascinating aspect of psilocybin.
The substance is being studied not only for its potential applications, but also because it helps scientists investigate one of the biggest questions in neuroscience:
How does our conscious experience arise?
During a psychedelic experience, perception, the sense of time, emotions, thoughts and the normal sense of ‘self’ may change temporarily.
At the same time, researchers can use brain scans to see how communication between different brain networks changes. Recent neuroimaging reviews describe, amongst other things, changes in network organisation and greater integration between certain brain networks.
Psilocybin therefore offers researchers a unique insight into how our brains construct our everyday reality.
The growing body of knowledge about psilocybin is one of the reasons why there is also so much interest in microdosing.
Microdosing involves using a much smaller dose than in much of the therapeutic psilocybin research, based on the principle that the experience remains subtle and you can carry on functioning as normal.
Microdosing is now being studied in its own right in areas such as mood, wellbeing, attention, cognition and creativity. Research is increasingly shedding light on how experiences and effects can vary depending on factors such as dose, timing and study design.
For Wise Rootz, it is precisely this interplay that is interesting:
scientific curiosity + personal observation.
That is why we advise beginners to start low, and to personal sweet spot to discover and the Fadiman protocol to be followed by one day of microdosing, followed by two rest days.
With the Wise Rootz app, you can then keep track of your experiences and learn to recognise patterns over time.
Measure. Observe. Reflect.
Would you like to get started? If so, please read our Instructions for Using the Wise Rootz Microdosing Box or discover the Wise Rootz Microdosing Box.
We now know considerably more about psilocybin than we did a few decades ago.
Research into brain connectivity, neuroplasticity, mood, cognitive flexibility, habits and consciousness shows why this natural substance is attracting so much scientific interest.
And the research is progressing rapidly.
That means psilocybin is of no interest to us, as we do not need to attribute any miraculous properties to it.
It’s interesting because that a relatively simple natural molecule can have such complex interactions with the human brain and our perception.
That is precisely where nature, science and personal experience come together.
This blog is intended to provide general educational information and does not constitute medical advice. Research into the therapeutic uses of psilocybin is conducted under specific research and treatment conditions and should not be interpreted as advice to self-treat a physical or mental condition with psilocybin or microdosing.
Microdosing is not suitable for everyone. Do not use microdosing products during pregnancy or whilst breastfeeding, or by anyone under the age of 18, or if you have a personal history of psychosis. If you are taking medication or have a physical or mental health condition, please discuss microdosing with a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional beforehand.
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