NORFOLK, Va. — Drugs like LSD, ecstasy, and magic mushrooms have been around for decades, but more doctors are discovering they’re much more than just party drugs.
Found in "magic mushrooms," psilocybin is a form of psychedelic that has hallucinogenic properties if a certain amount is consumed. Microdosing is the process of consuming tiny amounts, so it does not cause hallucinations.
That small amount is what scientists with Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Medicine in Richmond used to study how psychedelics work in the brain and how the impacts could lead to new treatment options for depression.
Javier González-Maeso, Ph.D., and Mario de la Fuente Revenga, Ph.D., led a team of researchers to identify changes in the brain that could underlie antidepressant activity.
"Psychedelics have not proven to be addictive like alcohol, cocaine, or opiates," González-Maeso said. "With one, one single administration, you can see an increase in the plasticity in the frontal cortex, and that lasts for weeks, which is long-lasting. It is said with that very low dose [of psilocybin], it has benefits with creativity and happiness."
We told you about local Army veteran Adam Carr’s experience with microdosing psilocybin to treat PTSD following frustration from traditional treatments.
“I didn't see paint melting off walls or anything like that. I didn't see super heightened colors or senses. I was just happy, and it was the greatest feeling to just feel happy,” said Carr.
A recent review from the British Medical Journal even found that psilocybin at high doses was slightly more effective at treating depression than certain antidepressants.