World's Largest Psychedelic Study Unveils Brain Order
A five-year study by Monash University reveals that psilocybin reorganizes brain networks into patterns that reflect a user's environment and focus. These findings suggest that the therapeutic potential of psychedelics is highly dependent on the context and setting of the session.
Why it matters
This research provides a scientific basis for how psychedelic-assisted therapy might be optimized for mental health treatment.
A landmark five-year study by Monash University has found psychedelics reorganise brain patterns, giving clinicians powerful new insights into their therapeutic potential.
Published in leading scientific journal Nature, the research is the world's largest single-site brain-imaging study of the acute effects of psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms.
Researchers used brain imaging to understand what happened in the brains of 62 healthy adults using psilocybin during rest, meditation and while they were listening to music and watching a movie.
Lead author Dr Devon Stoliker , a Turner Impact Research Fellow at the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health in the Monash School of Psychological Sciences, said previous research had shown that psychedelics disrupt the usual organisation of brain networks.
"We uncovered hidden order within that disruption," Dr Stoliker said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in