Magic mushrooms may help reverse stress-induced memory deficits, new study suggests
The study, published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, found that when administered under specific conditions, the mushroom extract restored spatial learning and memory impairments and increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein essential for brain plasticity. These effects were observed in rats subjected to a chronic unpredictable mild stress protocol, a widely used animal model for inducing stress-related cognitive deficits.
To examine the molecular effects, particularly on BDNF levels, researchers collected hippocampal tissue after the tests and analyzed it using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The researchers found that rats exposed to chronic stress showed impairments in spatial learning and memory compared to unstressed controls, confirming the cognitive deficits induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress. These stressed rats also had lower levels of BDNF in their hippocampus, aligning with prior research on the impact of stress on brain plasticity…
Original Article (Psypost):
Magic mushrooms may help reverse stress-induced memory deficits, new study suggests
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