Psilocybin desynchronizes the human brain

Nature. 2024 Aug;632(8023):131-138. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07624-5. Epub 2024 Jul 17.

Abstract

A single dose of psilocybin, a psychedelic that acutely causes distortions of space-time perception and ego dissolution, produces rapid and persistent therapeutic effects in human clinical trials1-4. In animal models, psilocybin induces neuroplasticity in cortex and hippocampus5-8. It remains unclear how human brain network changes relate to subjective and lasting effects of psychedelics. Here we tracked individual-specific brain changes with longitudinal precision functional mapping (roughly 18 magnetic resonance imaging visits per participant). Healthy adults were tracked before, during and for 3 weeks after high-dose psilocybin (25 mg) and methylphenidate (40 mg), and brought back for an additional psilocybin dose 6-12 months later. Psilocybin massively disrupted functional connectivity (FC) in cortex and subcortex, acutely causing more than threefold greater change than methylphenidate. These FC changes were driven by brain desynchronization across spatial scales (areal, global), which dissolved network distinctions by reducing correlations within and anticorrelations between networks. Psilocybin-driven FC changes were strongest in the default mode network, which is connected to the anterior hippocampus and is thought to create our sense of space, time and self. Individual differences in FC changes were strongly linked to the subjective psychedelic experience. Performing a perceptual task reduced psilocybin-driven FC changes. Psilocybin caused persistent decrease in FC between the anterior hippocampus and default mode network, lasting for weeks. Persistent reduction of hippocampal-default mode network connectivity may represent a neuroanatomical and mechanistic correlate of the proplasticity and therapeutic effects of psychedelics.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Brain Mapping
  • Brain* / cytology
  • Brain* / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain* / drug effects
  • Brain* / physiology
  • Default Mode Network / cytology
  • Default Mode Network / diagnostic imaging
  • Default Mode Network / drug effects
  • Default Mode Network / physiology
  • Ego
  • Female
  • Hallucinogens* / administration & dosage
  • Hallucinogens* / pharmacology
  • Healthy Volunteers
  • Hippocampus / cytology
  • Hippocampus / diagnostic imaging
  • Hippocampus / drug effects
  • Hippocampus / physiology
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Methylphenidate / administration & dosage
  • Methylphenidate / pharmacology
  • Middle Aged
  • Nerve Net* / cytology
  • Nerve Net* / diagnostic imaging
  • Nerve Net* / drug effects
  • Nerve Net* / physiology
  • Psilocybin* / administration & dosage
  • Psilocybin* / pharmacology
  • Space Perception / drug effects
  • Time Perception / drug effects
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Hallucinogens
  • Methylphenidate
  • Psilocybin

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