Researchers Find How This Psychedelic Drug Helps Treat Depression

Studies have shown the potential of psilocybin, a psychedelic drug, to help treat depression. But how exactly it helps remains unclear.

For years now, researchers have been looking into the medical merits of psilocybin, which is a compound that naturally occurs in mushrooms. In April, they found that it can treat depression as effectively as other common antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

However, how exactly it affects the brain and how long its effects last remain unclear, Yale University said in a news release.

"There are hints that the use of psychedelics can produce neural adaptations, although the extent and timescale of the impact in a mammalian brain are unknown," the researchers of a new study, published in the journal Neuron, said.

To find out, the researchers used a laser-scanning microscope to image dendritic spines or the small protrusions in the nerve cells that help transmit information. According to Yale University, conditions such as depression and chronic stress have been known to cause a reduction in such neuronal connections.

The researchers imaged and tracked the dendritic spines in live mice for days and found that just one dose of psilocybin increased their number and size in a span of just 24 hours and were still present even a month after. It also improved "stress-related behavioral deficit" in the mice.

"We not only saw a 10% increase in the number of neuronal connections, but also they were on average about 10% larger, so the connections were stronger as well," study senior author, Alex Kwan of Yale University, said as per the news release.

Simply put, the effects of psilocybin were not just quick, but also long-lasting.

"Overall, the results demonstrate that psilocybin-evoked synaptic rewiring in the cortex is fast and enduring, potentially providing a structural trace for long-term integration of experiences and lasting beneficial actions," the researchers wrote.

Such studies show the potential of such "non-traditional" treatments for depression. In June, for instance, a team of researchers found that just one administration of 25% nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, helped patients improve for two weeks after the administration.

The Food and Drug Administration also approved a ketamine nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression.