Push notifications are alerts sent to your computer to provide timely updates and important information. Subscribing to them on PsyPost ensures you receive instant notifications about the latest research findings and psychological news.
Researchers observed a 1250% increase in microdosing-related Google searches from 2015 to 2023, coinciding with the loosening of cannabis and psychedelic regulations, with over three million searches in 2023 alone.
People who use psychedelics tend to have higher levels of BDNF, a brain protein that promotes neuroplasticity and neuron growth, suggesting potential mental health benefits.
The psychedelic substance known as psilocybin initially increases then decreases neural responsiveness to sound in the mouse auditory cortex while enhancing functional connectivity.
MDMA enhances empathy-like behaviors in mice through serotonin release in the nucleus accumbens, with significant effects in males but not females, and reverses empathy deficits in a mouse model of autism spectrum disorder.
Microdosing LSD leads to participants sleeping 24 minutes longer and going to bed 25 minutes earlier, with an 8-minute increase in REM sleep, according to a recent study published in Translational Psychiatry.
Researchers found that the psychedelic 5-MeO-DMT induces brain activity patterns in rats that resemble those seen during sleep, even while they are awake. This suggests a unique state blending wakefulness and sleep-like brain waves.
Researchers found that MDMA enhances the brain's response to emotional faces, particularly happy and angry ones, distinguishing its effects from methamphetamine and highlighting its unique impact on social and emotional processing.
Psilocybin, found in magic mushrooms, increases brain connectivity, leading to profound changes in perception and feelings of unity, helping explain mystical experiences and its potential for treating mental health disorders.
Psychedelic use is linked to better cognitive functioning and fewer depressive symptoms in middle-aged and older adults, according to a recent study.
Psilocybin, found in "magic mushrooms," does not impair learning and may enhance exploration. Higher doses improved learning rates, especially with certain cues, suggesting potential cognitive benefits in therapeutic settings.
A new study has found that a single dose of LSD is effective in treating generalized anxiety disorder for up to 12 weeks, with significant improvements seen within two days and minimal side effects at the optimal 100µg dose.
Highly religious individuals and those who have used psychedelics are less likely to engage in violent behavior, particularly when both factors are present.
Psychedelic experiences appear to reduce death anxiety by changing beliefs about reality and consciousness, particularly by fostering the idea that consciousness is within everything.
Recent findings suggest that cannabis and psilocybin may benefit those experiencing chronic pain.
A 41-year-old woman with Long-COVID reportedly experienced significant symptom relief after using psilocybin and MDMA, but the effectiveness and safety of these psychedelics for Long-COVID remain uncertain and require further research.