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Adventures Through The Mind

Microdosing Psilocybin; Effects on Stress Resiliency and Compulsive Behaviours | Dr. Mikael Palner ~ ATTMind 194

Feb 14, 2025
Dr. Mikael Palner, an associate professor at the University of Southern Denmark, researches the effects of psilocybin microdosing on maladaptive neuropsychiatric diseases. He discusses how microdosing may enhance stress resiliency and reduce compulsive behaviors, highlighting intriguing disparities between rat and human studies. Palner emphasizes the need for caution regarding microdosing practices and the misconception that it universally boosts cognitive performance. He also explores the biological mechanisms behind psilocybin's effects, advocating for further nuanced research.
01:21:00

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Psilocybin microdosing in rats enhances stress resiliency and protects against stress-induced anhedonia, indicating potential benefits for depression-like symptoms.
  • The study discovered that psilocybin microdosing may reduce compulsive behaviors similar to OCD by promoting changes in synaptic plasticity in the brain.

Deep dives

Psilocybin Microdoses and Stress Resiliency

Research indicates that administering psilocybin microdoses to rats may enhance their resiliency to stress-induced anhedonia, a model of depression. The study highlights that these microdoses protect rats from decreased interest in pleasurable activities, which typically results from stress. Unlike the saline-injected control group, rats receiving psilocybin maintained consistent preferences for sugar water, suggesting a potential alleviating effect on stress-induced declines in mood. This finding offers a biological mechanism that supports anecdotal claims of increased stress resiliency within human microdosing communities.

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