Science

New study provides insights into the neurophysiological basis of psilocybin-induced alterations in consciousness

May 26, 2023By

“We disproved our initial hypothesis that psychedelic states (here with psilocybin) produce higher complexity,” Ort explained. “Unlike the observed reduction of complexity during dreamless sleep, anesthesia or minimally conscious states, the psychedelic state has the same quantitative complexity as in normal waking – even though the quality of the conscious experience has massively changed.” Ort…

READ MORE
Science

Chinese labs are selling fentanyl ingredients for millions in crypto

May 23, 2023By

The Elliptic report notes that the tens of millions of dollars worth of precursor sales it tracked on blockchains would likely be enough to manufacture enough fentanyl to, if distributed efficiently, kill every person on earth… the US government may be increasingly aware of the activity of fentanyl precursor sellers in China and of cryptocurrency’s…

READ MORE
Science

How long to wait between mushrooms trips…

May 17, 2023By

When consuming psilocybin mushrooms, it’s important to consider the development of tolerance. Tolerance refers to the body’s adaptation to the effects of a substance, resulting in a diminished response over time. The tolerance that builds with psilocybin is specifically called tachyphylaxis, which is a rapidly diminishing response to successive doses of a drug, thus rendering it…

READ MORE
Science

Magic mushrooms seem to have a strange effect on color blindness

May 8, 2023By

After self-administering a color blindness test, known as the Ishihara Test, the subject took five grams of dried mushrooms, which is considered a relatively high dose of psilocybin. He then took the Ishihara Test periodically over the next four months. This test is composed of a series of flashcards that each feature a number made…

READ MORE
Science

The evolution and ecology of psilocybin in nature

March 25, 2023By

…potential adaptive advantages psiloids may confer to fungi. Fungi produce diverse metabolites that can have antimicrobial, antifungal, antifeedant, or psychoactive properties. Among these metabolites are the tryptamine-derived compounds psilocybin, its precursors, and natural derivatives (collectively referred to as psiloids), which have played significant roles in human society and culture. Original Article (SSRN):The evolution and ecology…

READ MORE
Science

Why this fungus has over 20,000 sexes

March 22, 2023By

Where we have two traditionally recognized genders, male and female, some species of fungi can have thousands of sexes… to mate, all a fungus has to do is bump up against another member of its species and let their cells fuse together. It sounds confusing, but it’s actually helpful – with so many variations, the…

READ MORE
Science

Drug mortality risk chart… true comparisons on drugs and harm

March 17, 2023By

Perhaps the most important conclusion which can be drawn from the present analysis is that most kinds of illicit drug use are nowhere near as lethal as would be assumed from reading mass media reports or heeding government warnings, and that two of our three legal psychoactive drugs, alcohol and tobacco, are far more likely…

READ MORE
Science

Psychedelic research raises new questions for mental health

March 16, 2023By

Indigenous use of psychedelic plants may have played a significant role in developing and maintaining spiritual, animistic, and religious beliefs; during the countercultural movement in the ’60s, the popularity of LSD may have been a significant catalyst in the proposed transformation of society’s norms and values. These examples appear to suggest that psychedelics may profoundly affect…

READ MORE
Science

A new mechanism of psychedelic action in the brain has been discovered

February 16, 2023By

A new paper has turned science’s understanding of how psychedelics affect the brain upside down by solving a longstanding molecular mystery in the field.   Psychedelics are thought to produce their effects by activating the serotonin (5-HT)2A receptor class. These receptors are present on the surface of neurons throughout the brain. The answer may have been found by looking…

READ MORE