User:ChasYoung4/Psilocybin

Psilocybin (/ˌsaɪləˈsaɪbɪn/ sy-lə-SY-bin, /ˌsɪl-/) is a naturally occurring psychedelic prodrug compound produced by more than 200 species of fungi. The most potent are members of genus Psilocybe, such as P. azurescens, P. semilanceata, and P. cyanescens, but psilocybin has also been isolated from about a dozen other genera. Psilocybin is itself biologically inactive but is quickly converted by the body to psilocin, which has mind-altering effects similar, in some aspects, to those of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), mescaline, and dimethyltryptamine (DMT). In general, the effects include euphoria, visual and mental hallucinations, changes in perception, distorted sense of time, and perceived spiritual experiences. It can also cause adverse reactions such as nausea and panic attacks. It also has effects on the Theory of Mind Network and the Default Mode Network, which impact our sense of belonging in society and introspection respectively.

Imagery found on cave paintings and rock art of modern-day Spain and Algeria suggests that human use of psilocybin mushrooms predates recorded history. In Mesoamerica, the mushrooms had long been consumed in spiritual and divinatory ceremonies before Spanish chroniclers first documented their use in the sixteenth century. In 1958, the Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann isolated psilocybin and psilocin from the mushroom Psilocybe mexicana. Hofmann's employer Sandoz marketed and sold pure psilocybin to physicians and clinicians worldwide for use in psychedelic therapy. Although the increasingly restrictive drug laws of the 1960s and the 1970s curbed scientific research into the effects of psilocybin and other hallucinogens, its popularity as an entheogen (spirituality-enhancing agent) grew in the next decade, owing largely to the increased availability of information on how to cultivate psilocybin mushrooms.

The intensity and duration of the effects of psilocybin are variable, depending on species or cultivar of mushrooms, dosage, individual physiology, and set and setting, as was shown in experiments led by Timothy Leary at Harvard University in the early 1960s. Once ingested, psilocybin is rapidly metabolized to psilocin, which then acts on serotonin receptors in the brain. The mind-altering effects of psilocybin typically last from two to six hours, although to individuals under the influence of psilocybin, the effects may seem to last much longer, since the drug can distort the perception of time. Possession of psilocybin-containing mushrooms has been outlawed in most countries, and psilocybin has been classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under the 1971 United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Currently, research has been revitalized and psilocybin, alongside other psychedelic substances, is currently being investigated for its utility in treating Anxiety, Major Depressive Disorder, and Substance Use Disorder.

Theory of Mind Network and Default Mode Network Psychedelics, including psilocybin, have been shown to affect different clusters of brain regions known as the Theory of Mind Network (ToMN) and the Default Mode Network (DMN).[49] The ToMN involves making inferences and understanding social situations based on patterns[50] whereas, the DMN relates more to introspection and one's sense of self.[49] The DMN in particular is related to increased rumination and worsening self-image in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).[51] In studies done with single use Psilocybin, areas of the DMN showed decreased functional connectivity (communication between areas of the brain). This provides functional insight into the work of psilocybin in increasing one's sense of connection to their surrounds as the areas of the brain involved in introspection decrease in functionality under the effects of the drug.[52] Conversely, areas of the brain involved in the ToMN showed increased activity and functional activation in response to psychedelics. These results were not unique to psilocybin and there was no significant difference in brain activation found in similar trials of mescaline and LSD. Information and studies into the DMN and ToMN are relatively sparse and their connections to other psychiatric illnesses and use of psychedelics is still largely unknown. [49]

With the growing epidemic of mental health becoming more of a visible issue research studies, both old and new, are targeting psilocybin as a potential treatment for mental health conditions including but not limited to; depression, anxiety, PTSD, and alcohol abuse. As it is still classified as a schedule 1 substance, Psilocybin is not currently FDA approved to treat any health conditions. Currently, the method of conducting these trials involves patients first developing a relationship with a psychotherapist and then in subsequent weeks being administered small doses over time with the experiences or "trips" being guided and monitored by those same trained therapists. Trials done in 2015 noted that patients with terminal illnesses such as advanced cancer showed a decrease in death-anxiety after a single treatment with psilocybin. Psilocybin trials have also shown a significant reduction in GRID-Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores comparable to Ketamine, another psychedelic currently undergoing trials of efficacy. Though the results of both drugs were comparable, psilocybin showed a lower degree of dependency than Ketamine and required fewer doses to reach full effects. While studies on other forms of drug abuse are spare, a relatively robust body of research exists for studies on psilocybin's potential for treating alcohol abuse. In all studies, patients with psychotherapy-assisted psilocybin treatment showed a significant reduction in both heavy drinking days (defined as greater than 5 standard drinks in one day) and alcohol consumption in general. Currently, the body of research is still relatively small. Many studies suggest the direction of further research should be to compare psilocybin to current FDA approved therapies such as SSRI antidepressants as well as psychotherapy alone to determine the efficacy of psychedelic treatments.