Dr. Nico Dosenbach, a neurologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, had performed countless brain scans as part of this job. He’s even scanned his own brain several times before. This time, however, was very different. Before sliding into an MRI machine whose powerful magnetic field works with radio waves and hydrogen atoms in the body to create 3D images, Dr. Dosenbach took a larger-than-usual dose of psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms.

“I was, like, drifting deeper into weirdness,” he recalls in an interview with NPR. “I didn’t know where I was at all. Time stopped, and I was everyone.”

Dosenbach essentially got high as a kite for science — and he wasn’t alone. Another six people took part in the study meant to tease apart how psilocybin and other psychedelics like LSD perform their consciousness-altering magic. This is important in the context of a revival in research on psychedelic drugs after decades of prohibition.

There is a growing body of evidence to suggest some psychoactive substances have immense therapeutic potential, especially when it comes to tackling serious, hard-to-manage mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, alcoholism, and eating disorders.

But how exactly do these drugs work in the brain? In the case of psilocybin at least, the new study suggests that the compound disrupts certain brain networks, particularly those responsible for giving us a sense of space, time, and self.

Changing Your Mind

The study involved seven participants who received either a stimulant or 25 milligrams of psilocybin, enough to induce hallucinations. Researchers observed significant changes in brain activity. Particularly in the default mode network, which is associated with self-referential thoughts and daydreaming. Without the default mode network out of sync, a person may have trouble even remembering who they are.

According to Dr. Joshua Siegel, the study’s lead author, psilocybin caused neurons within certain networks (like the default mode network) to become desynchronized. It’s like the brain “falls apart”, the researchers said. However, this disruption appears to also enhance the brain’s plasticity, allowing it to adapt and change more readily. “Desynchronization probably is a critical clue as to where the plasticity effects of psychedelics are coming from,” Siegel explains.

The study’s implications extend beyond understanding psilocybin’s effects. It hints at potential therapeutic uses for psychedelics in treating conditions like addiction, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “There seems to be this time of increased change that could be taken advantage of by therapists,” says Dr. Petros Petridis of NYU’s Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine.

However, the approach is not without risks. Dr. Ginger Nicol, a psychiatrist whose husband participated in the study, noted that while some experiences were profoundly positive, others were distressing. “He saw demons,” Nicol recounts, emphasizing the need for careful consideration in clinical settings. No one says it’s a good idea to self-medicate with psychedelics in a recreational setting. So, it goes without saying: don’t try this at home.

Despite these challenges, the potential for psychedelics to aid in psychological recovery is significant. Psychiatrists believe that these substances might help patients recognize their capacity for change, a realization that often takes years in traditional therapy.

The new findings appeared in the journal Nature.