Psilocybin from Magic mushroom, to be hopeful antidepressants

 Let's get a little of Psychology and neurology.

                    Well, simply about depression. This topic is no more a taboo, all are well aware, and in some way or the other, people somehow cross this phase of life. Depression. We do so much to come out of it. The topic for today is not about the tips for depression, but it is about new scientific research of an efficient and rapid antidepressant that has been identified to be highly effective. 

                      Serotonin in the brain is responsible for healthy positive moods, with decreased serotonin leads to depression. Serotonergic psychedelics or Serotonergic hallucinogens are drugs that behave by having an affinity towards serotonin receptors. Psilocybin is a class of Serotonergic psychedelics drugs is extracted from a certain kind of mushroom that is popular in Europe, the US, Mexico, South America. Those mushrooms containing the Psilocybin are termed magic mushrooms. Psilocybin functions in the prefrontal cortex of the brain by binding to the Serotonin receptor.

                    Depression is observed when there is synaptic atrophy, which is simply the loss of synaptic connections in neurons or anything associated with losing contact. So increased neuroplasticity that is with the increase of neuronal connections, the chances of depression are lesser or reduced.

                      A study with mice showed that a single dose of Psilocybin induced neuronal plasticity in the medial frontal cortex, and showed lasting results for three months. Also, the results were more effective in female mice than the male animals. This drug is hoped to be a promise for antidepressants. Yet more studies are required say the researchers. 

Reference:

Shao, L. X., Liao, C., Gregg, I., Davoudian, P. A., Savalia, N. K., Delagarza, K., & Kwan, A. C. (2021). Psilocybin induces rapid and persistent growth of dendritic spines in the frontal cortex in vivo. bioRxiv.

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