Psilocybin Research Paper

Practical Magic: The Therapeutic Effects of Psilocybin on Affect Regulation
An interesting new development is taking place in pharmacological research. Neuroscientists are picking up where they left off in 1971 and continuing their research on the psychotropic effects of psilocybin, many of which have therapeutic value. There are many ways in which psilocybin works, yet its main mechanism of action seems to be reducing activity in the amygdala via its effects on the serotonergic system. It is through this mechanism that psilocybin has the ability to improve affect, with its effects lasting months after the drug's administration. This reduces the need to take antidepressant drugs on a daily basis. However, in certain circumstances psilocybin can increase negative affect. This is due to psilocybin's ability to enhance pre-existing affect and is easily controllable in a supervised therapeutic setting. In most cases, in addition to improving
Out of the 90 people in Young's study, only 7 participants reported negative changes in well-being during follow-up assessments (2013). In the same study, 25% of participants reported a positive change in relationships with others, and only 7% reported a negative change" (Young, 2013). In fact, participants rated significantly higher levels of general inactivation on the AMRS mood scale (Hasler, Grimberg, Benz, Huber, & Vollenweider, 2004). This suggests that psilocybin could have anxiolytic effects, which is important when considering comorbid anxiety and depression. As a matter of fact, users of psychedelics are less likely to be diagnosed with depression or anxiety, or to have experienced significant psychological distress in the past year (Nesvag, Bramness, Ystrom, Suzanne Krebs, & Johansen, 2015). It is again due to enhanced serotonergic activity and reduced amygdala activity that participants feel a reduction in anxiety-like