Anorexic People May Benefit From Magic Mushrooms, Study

The eating disorder anorexia nervosa, also commonly referred to as anorexia, is characterized by abnormally low body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted perception of body weight. It is common for people with anorexia to place a high value on controlling their weight and shape, using extreme efforts that adversely affect their daily lives [1].

Researchers have found that psychedelics, including psilocybin, a psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms, could be used to treat anorexia nervosa.

Researchers at Monash University are examining psilocybin's biology and chemistry in relation to anorexia nervosa using a well-established animal model known as activity-based anorexia [2].

How Does Psilocybin Work For People With Anorexia?

• It has been proposed that psilocybin may be able to help break down some of the ingrained patterns of thoughts and behaviour associated with anorexia nervosa, which is a mental health disorder that causes people to reduce their food intake out of fear of gaining weight because of a distorted body image [3].
• Even so, psilocybin treatment does not always result in clinically significant improvements in all individuals, particularly those with anorexia nervosa. Scientists are hoping to better understand the biological reasons why some people may benefit from psychedelics and others may not since the reason behind this is still unknown.

What Is Psychedelic Therapy? Benefits And Risks Of The Future Of Mental Health Treatment

• Monash University researchers study rats and mice to determine whether psilocybin can affect adaptive learning. The purpose of these studies is to better understand how changes in brain function contribute to changes in learning.
• As a result of their anatomical, physiological, and genetic similarity to humans, mice and rats have long been used as biomedical research animal models. In addition to their small size, ease of maintenance, short life cycle, and abundant genetic resources, rodents possess a number of other advantages [4][5].
• In particular, the researchers are interested in the function of dopamine and serotonin neurotransmitters. Both dopamine and serotonin are neurotransmitters, chemical messengers in the brain that communicate through neurons. A feeling of happiness, focus, and calm is associated with serotonin, whereas a feeling of reward, motivation, and productivity is associated with dopamine [6].
• According to animal models, psilocybin has some interesting effects on reward learning, which may explain its potential use as a treatment for anorexia nervosa.
• Psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can benefit from this treatment [7].

On A Final Note...

For psychedelics to become integrated into mental health treatments, psychedelics must be better understood as they affect both serotonin and dopamine signalling in the brain. Despite this, a drug-affected rat on a wheel may reveal more about the human brain than one may expect from such an unconventional experiment.

Disclaimer: The article does not promote the recreational use of psychedelics and other illegal drugs. The article is solely developed for informational purposes.