‘Psilocybin encourages the growth of neurons into different areas of the brain,’ explains Dr Renee Usdin, who practises integrative medicine. She says that when you take the substance, your body metabolises it into another chemical called psilocin, which binds to serotonin receptors, causing the release of a brain-derived neurotrophic factor (a kind of hormone). This gets the nerve endings growing, increasing connectivity among regions of the brain.
It’s like an orchestra, a Business Insider article explains. Usually, the brain has musical groups that play independently: a sextet here, a quartet there, a jazz trio... Once psilocybin enters, it’s like there’s a conductor: there’s communication between areas that are usually compartmentalised. When new areas in the brain start ‘talking’ to one another, you might experience new insights into old problems.
Psilocybin…
