Psychedelics: reconnecting the brain to heal the mind

Natural psychedelics like magic mushrooms have been used for at least 7000 years, with a resurgence in the 1950s and 1960s after LSD was synthesized and used therapeutically. Non-medical use led to a global ban in the early 1970s. Over the past 20 years, research has revived, showing that psychedelics act as agonists of the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor, altering neuro-circuitry to produce more integrated and flexible brain activity. These changes, observed in healthy volunteers, predicted benefits for mental illnesses like depression and addiction, confirmed by subsequent trials. A single psychedelic experience can yield very long-lasting improvements across several mental illnesses. Given these consistent positive outcomes, psychedelic therapy will likely soon be widely approved in Western medicine, as it already is in Australia for treatment-resistant depression.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Natural psychedelics such as magic mushrooms have a long history of human use of at least 7000 years. Their use underwent a resurgence in the 1950/1960s following the synthesis of LSD as a psychedelic and its use as a medicine with powerful therapeutic benefits. But because non-medical use led to massive cultural changes especially in young people, all psychedelics were banned globally in the early 1970s. Over the past 20 years, there has been a resurrection of psychedelic research. This has revealed their common modes of action as agonists (stimulators) of the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor in the brain and that this activity leads to profound alterations in neuro-circuitry, producing a more integrated and flexible pattern of activity. These brain changes found in healthy volunteers predicted utility in mental illnesses such as depression and addiction and subsequent trials revealed this to be true. A single psychedelic trip can lead to very long-lasting improvements in a range of mental illnesses. From these remarkable and consistent positive outcomes, it seems likely that psychedelic therapy will soon become widely approved in western medicine, as it has already been in Australia for treatment-resistant depression.