Me, myself, bye: regional alterations in glutamate and the experience of ego dissolution with psilocybin
OrthoEvidence Journal (OE Journal) - ACE Report
OE Journal. 2022;10(11):6 Neuropsychopharmacology. 2020 23-Feb;():. 10.1038/s41386-020-0718-8What this means for my practice?
Psilocybin induced higher glutamate concentrations in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and lower concentrations in the hippocampus. The higher and lower glutamate concentrations were correlated with negatively and positively-experienced ego dissolution, respectively. Increased mPFC glutamate levels were also the strongest predictor of anxious ego dissolution. These results contribute to the understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms of the psychedelic state, which can thus provide new therapeutic options for the use of psychedelics for mental health disorders. The results are limited by the short scanning time used and the possibility of participant recognition of the treatment condition.
Study Summary
Sixty healthy subjects with previous psychedelic drug experience underwent a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel group study design to test the effects of psilocybin on the glutamate system in the brain. Subjects either received 0.17 mg/kg of psilocybin or a placebo and ultra-high field proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to quantify glutamate concentration levels and the association between those levels and features of the psychedelic state. Psilocybin induced region-dependent alterations in glutamate, with higher concentrations found in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and lower concentrations in the hippocampus.
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