Researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered that a single dose of psychedelic compounds can improve cognitive flexibility in mice, with lasting effects over several weeks. This finding has significant implications for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological conditions, such as depression, PTSD, and Alzheimer’s disease.
The study, published in the journal Psychedelics, used rodent models to test the effects of a single dose of 25CN-NBOH, a psychedelic compound. The results showed that mice treated with the psychedelic learned new concepts more quickly and flexibly than those given control injections, even weeks after administration.
The team found that the benefits of the psychedelic dose lasted up to three weeks after treatment. This is significant because current clinical trials for depression and PTSD often use only one or two doses, which may not be enough to produce lasting benefits.
While the findings are promising, researchers caution that more fundamental research is needed to fully understand the effects of psychedelic compounds on the brain. Further studies will be necessary to determine whether a single dose of psychedelic is beneficial for flexible learning, and whether repeated doses have any negative effects.
The study’s lead author, Elizabeth Brouns, said, “Our results show that even a single dose of a psychedelic can result in lasting benefits.” The researchers hope that their findings will inform the development of more rational and mechanistic clinical trials for psychedelic medicine.
Source: https://www.technologynetworks.com/drug-discovery/news/a-single-dose-of-psychedelics-boosts-learning-ability-for-weeks-398781