A single high dose of psilocybin – the psychedelic compound found in certain mushrooms – may produce measurable changes in the human brain that last for weeks, according to new research from scientists at the University of California, San Francisco and Imperial College London.
The findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting psychedelics could play a role in future mental health treatments.
The study, published in Nature Communications, examined 28 healthy adults who had never previously used psychedelic drugs. Researchers found that a 25-milligram dose of psilocybin increased what scientists call “brain entropy” – a measure of the diversity and complexity of neural activity – within hours of administration.
Participants who experienced greater increases in entropy also reported higher levels of emotional insight and self-awareness the following day. Those experiences were associated with improvements in overall well-being one month later.
Using EEG and MRI brain imaging, researchers observed changes in both brain function and structure from as early as one hour after treatment through at least one month later. The study’s authors said the findings provide some of the strongest evidence to date that a single psychedelic experience can create lasting changes in the brain rather than only temporary effects during intoxication.
The research arrives amid growing interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy as mental health providers seek new approaches for conditions such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Previous studies have suggested psychedelics increase communication between brain regions that do not normally interact extensively, potentially helping people break out of rigid patterns of thinking.
The findings may be particularly relevant for LGBTQ+ communities, which continue to experience disproportionately high rates of mental health challenges. According to recent data from The Trevor Project, approximately 36% to 41% of LGBTQ+ young people reported seriously considering suicide in the past year, while roughly 1 in 10 reported attempting suicide. Researchers and advocates have pointed to discrimination, stigma and barriers to affirming mental health care as major contributing factors.
Experts caution that psilocybin remains a powerful psychoactive substance and that the latest study was conducted under controlled clinical conditions with medical oversight. Additional research is needed to determine whether the observed brain changes translate into safe, effective treatments for specific psychiatric conditions. Still, the new findings offer fresh insight into how psychedelics may influence the brain and why they are attracting increasing attention from scientists studying mental health and emotional well-being.
Read more about the study and its findings here.
