Super Brain S6:E2 Magic Mushrooms and the Human Brain
Psilocybin — the psychedelic compound in so-called “magic mushrooms” — has exploded into headlines and social media feeds. Some call it a miracle cure for depression, others dismiss it as hype. In this episode, I take a clear-eyed look at what the science really says.
I’ll start with Sarah’s story — a young scientist whose life was turned upside down by a cycling accident and who found hope again through a psilocybin clinical trial at Johns Hopkins. Her words: “This trial changed my life.”
From there, I explore:
- The history of psilocybin, from ancient rituals to 1960s psychiatry to today’s “psychedelic renaissance.”
- The online buzz, where psilocybin is hyped as everything from a creativity booster to a trauma cure.
- The scientific evidence, from small pilot trials to the largest modern RCTs.
- The neuroscience, showing how psilocybin may “reset” rigid brain networks, boost plasticity, and even dampen inflammation.
- The risks, including panic, paranoia, and psychosis in vulnerable people.
Finally, I’ll share my Tools in Three so you can separate the real promise from the hype.
Featured Research
- Carhart-Harris RL, et al. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(16)30065-
- Carhart-Harris RL, et al. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2032994
- Davis AK, et al. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.3285
- Goodwin GM, et al. S 10.1056/NEJMoa2206443
- Additional insights from Nature Medicine (Carhart-Harris, 2021) and New Scientist on brain plasticity and inflammation.
Each episode explores what’s really going on inside your brain when you do the things you do — from the everyday to the extraordinary — and gives you three tools for your Super Brain kit.
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