How sex and environmental conditions shape psilocybin's effects on social and cognitive function in mice
Monash University June 23, 2026 DOI: 10.26180/32765760 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Mice with and without anorexia-like symptoms |
| Intervention | Psilocybin |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Cognition Social stress Anorexia Social behaviour Hallucinogen Social isolation Developmental psychology Anhedonia Brain function Social environment |
| Key findings | Psilocybin's effects on social behavior varied dramatically between male and female mice, with females becoming more social and showing increased brain reward signals, while males displayed reduced stress behaviors and dampened brain responses. |
Abstract
This thesis examined how psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) affects social behaviour in mice with and without anorexia-like symptoms. It found that psilocybin's effects varied dramatically between male and female mice and changed over time. Female mice became more social and showed increased brain reward signals, while males displayed reduced stress behaviours and dampened brain responses. Psilocybin also affected inflammation differently depending on whether mice were exercising. These findings highlight that males and females respond very differently to psilocybin, which is crucial for developing treatments for anorexia nervosa, a condition affecting primarily women where current medications are limited.