Psilocybin reduces alcohol use by altering gene expression in brain’s reward center
The study was conducted using 66 male Long-Evans rats, which were chosen based on their suitability for modeling human alcohol consumption behaviors. They were housed individually under a controlled light/dark cycle and had unlimited access to food and water. The study followed strict ethical guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals.
Initially, the rats were given access to a 20% ethanol solution in a two-bottle choice setup for four weeks to establish ethanol consumption. Following this period, the rats were trained to self-administer ethanol in operant cages, a method that involves pressing a lever to receive a dose of ethanol. This setup mimics human voluntary alcohol consumption and allows researchers to measure the rats’ motivation to consume alcohol. Psilocybin administration led to a notable reduction in alcohol self-administration. Rats that received psilocybin showed a 48% decrease in the number of lever presses and a 51% reduction in total alcohol intake compared to those receiving a saline solution. This suggests that psilocybin’s effects are robust and not limited to direct brain infusions. Interestingly, when psilocybin was microinjected into the left nucleus accumbens, the number of lever presses for alcohol decreased by 38%, and the total alcohol intake dropped by 39%. In contrast, injections into the right nucleus accumbens did not produce significant changes, highlighting the importance of the left nucleus accumbens in mediating these effects.
Original Article (Psypost):
Psilocybin reduces alcohol use by altering gene expression in brain’s reward center
Artwork Fair Use: Jodieveitch
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