Study claims magic mushrooms could help treat alcoholism

By Stephen Beech

Magic mushrooms could be used to treat alcoholism, according to new research.

A psychedelic chemical found in fungi is emerging as a potential treatment for alcohol-related disorders, say scientists.

American researchers discovered a mechanism in female mice that explains how psilocin - the active compound of a substance found in mushrooms - may reduce alcohol use.

Researchers, led by Dr. Sarah Magee and Professor Melissa Herman at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, explored whether psilocin targets neurons in the central amygdala involved in emotional processing and stress to alter alcohol use.

Herman emphasised that preclinical work is necessary for filling gaps in knowledge about drug mechanisms, especially in the field of psychedelic research.

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Focusing on female mice because they drink more alcohol than male mice, the research team discovered that psilocin dampened the activity of these neurons following long-term alcohol exposure.

Herman said, "This decrease in activity was associated with less alcohol drinking during drug exposure, though drinking was restored in later sessions.

"These observations also occurred in mice with less severe alcohol exposure, supporting clinical work showing that psychedelics may help improve issues with emotional processing and stress across a range of psychiatric disorders."

The researchers, whose findings were published in the journal JNeurosci, say the work may shape interpretations of clinical studies on psychedelic treatments.

Herman said, “It makes sense that dampening this neuron population reduces drinking because increased activity in these neurons is associated with alcohol use disorders."

She added: "These neurons also play a role in depression and anxiety, which psychedelics are also showing promise at treating, so our work provides some mechanistic insight in those contexts, too.”