A 2024 article in the uber-prestigious scientific journal, Nature, details how even a single dose of psilocybin (the psychoactive chemical in magic mushrooms) may change your brain wiring. A multi-institutional team of researchers enrolled a cadre of volunteers, who agreed to have brain imaging (functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)) performed before and after being exposed to the psychedelic drug, psilocybin
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Magic mushrooms were proven to massively disrupt the functional connections in the volunteers’ brains. Brain desynchronization was worst in the Default Mode Network.
The DMN is a wide network of far-flung neuronal nodes in the neocortex, wired together by white matter (axonal) cables. The main nodes of the DMN are centered in the medial prefrontal cortex (a part of the brain that is involved with decision making and memory consolidation), the posterior cingulate cortex, the parietal lobes (part of the brain that integrates various types of sensory information) and the hippocampus (the part of the brain that forms memories).
The DMN is active in the background of your consciousness and is crucial for inner thoughts such as reminiscing and daydreaming. The DMN fires up the cortical areas associated with memory recall or mind-wandering. It becomes especially active when you think about others. When you plan for future events, the DMN constructs an image of the thing or event (a trip to the beach) and helps weigh the pros and cons of your intended course of action.
Are psilocybin induced changes permanent?
The scientists determined the changes in the DMN persisted for about three weeks. When the researchers checked fMRI on the volunteers six to twelve months later, the brain wiring had mostly reverted to normal.
Why would researchers investigate magic mushrooms?
Psilocybin (which induces ego dissolution and distortions in space-time perception) has been shown to have some benefit for depression, PTSD and other psychiatric disorders. Titans of tech, such as Peter Theil, have poured some real money into a bevy of psychedelic startups. Peter Thiel invested in one such company called ATAI life sciences (currently trades on NASDAQ with a market cap of a quarter-billion dollars) whose mission is to use psychedelics to treat depression. In case you don’t know who he is, Peter Theil is the billionaire founder of PayPal and Palantir.
To learn more check out these posts:
https://brain2mind.substack.com/p/are-magic-mushrooms-a-magic-bullet
https://brain2mind.substack.com/p/the-big-five-personality-traits-and-c66
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(image credit) Siegel JS, Subramanian S, Perry D, Kay BP, Gordon EM, Laumann TO, Reneau TR, Metcalf NV, Chacko RV, Gratton C, Horan C, Krimmel SR, Shimony JS, Schweiger JA, Wong DF, Bender DA, Scheidter KM, Whiting FI, Padawer-Curry JA, Shinohara RT, Chen Y, Moser J, Yacoub E, Nelson SM, Vizioli L, Fair DA, Lenze EJ, Carhart-Harris R, Raison CL, Raichle ME, Snyder AZ, Nicol GE, Dosenbach NUF. Psilocybin desynchronizes the human brain. Nature. 2024 Jul 17.
Ewe Gross 🤢
Peter Theil & Billionaires investing in Psychedelics⁉️
Have We learned Nothing from profiting off of health & wellness from Our current pharmaceutical industry❓
When Billionaires & Their
💲Billions💸 of Dollars are involved… it only ever goes in one direction.
That direction is never directed in the way of Our “Best Interests”. Our “Best Interests” get in the way of Their Prophet💲everytime❗️
Peter’s also a transhumanist!