The active ingredient in so-called magic mushrooms may be therapeutic to people suffering from depression. And according to the Brisbane Times, two new studies suggest that psilocybin may not only be effective, but long-lasting as well.
The first study, published Monday in the Proceedings of National Anatomy of Sciences, involved 30 volunteers with depression. The participants took psilocybin intermittently and had their brains photographed using magnetic resonance imaging scanners in between rounds. In the images, activity in the medial prefrontal cortex was consistently lowered, a sign of decreasing depression.
The second study was published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, involving the same research team from Imperial College London. This time, researchers found that psilocybin more effectively helped volunteers recall positive personal memories, as opposed to a placebo.
Study leader Robin Carhart-Harris was positive about the team’s findings, though cautioning that more research needs to be done before psilocybin is used practically.
“Our findings support the idea that psilocybin facilitates access to memories and emotions,” Carhart-Harris said. “This effect needs to be investigated further but it suggests that used in combination with psychotherapy, psilocybin might help people recall positive life events and reverse pessimistic mindsets.”
The Brisbane Times noted that magic mushrooms have been used in psychotherapy since the 1950s, though they remain a schedule I substance in the United States—a classification that is given to substances with a high potential for abuse and no legitimate medical purpose.
