Mushrooms, Microdosing, and Mental Illness: The Effect of Psilocybin on Neurotransmitters, Neuroinflammation, and Neuroplasticity.
Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment January 1, 2025 Daniel A Kinderlehrer 13 citations
Mental health disorders are rising worldwide, and neuroinflammation contributes to many cases, especially depression and anxiety. Anti-inflammatory treatments help these conditions. Psilocin, the active compound in Psilocybe mushrooms, acts as a serotonin agonist and anti-inflammatory agent, enhances neuroplasticity, and reduces overactivity in the default mode network. Studies using hallucinogenic doses under therapist supervision consistently benefit depression and end-of-life anxiety. Microdosing psilocybin in sub-hallucinogenic doses also improves mood disorders and may offer a safer, cheaper, more accessible alternative to full doses for mood disorders and other inflammation-driven conditions.