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Early psilocybin intervention alleviates behavioral despair and cognitive impairment in stressed Wistar rats.

Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry
January 10, 2025
Zitong Wang et al. (7 authors)
Journal ArticleAnimal Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to determine whether psilocybin could alleviate behavioral despair and cognitive deficits induced by chronic stress in a rodent model, focusing on its interaction with the HPA axis and ECS.

Results Summary

Psilocybin significantly reduced stress-induced behavioral despair and cognitive impairments, likely through ECS-mediated downregulation of the HPA axis, suggesting sustained therapeutic benefits for stress-related disorders.

Population

Male Wistar rats exposed to chronic stress via predator odor and social instability.

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (4)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
psilocybin
decrease
stress-induced behavioral despair
male Wistar rats
-
significantly reduced
#1
psilocybin
decrease
cognitive impairments
male Wistar rats
-
significantly reduced
#2
psilocybin
decrease
stress-related behavioral disturbances
male Wistar rats
-
has sustained beneficial effects
#3
psilocybin
decrease
stress-related cognitive disturbances
male Wistar rats
-
has sustained beneficial effects
#4
Abstract

Chronic stress exerts profound effects on mental health, contributing to disorders such as depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment. This study examines the potential of psilocybin to alleviate behavioral despair and cognitive deficits in a rodent model of chronic stress, focusing on the interplay between the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). Twenty-two male Wistar rats were divided into control and stress groups. Animals within the stress group were exposed to predator odor and chronic social instability to induce chronic stress, and were either sham treated, or given psilocybin. Behavioral assessments were conducted using the Open Field Test, Sucrose Preference Test, Novel Object Recognition, Elevated Plus Maze, and Forced Swimming Test to evaluate locomotion, anhedonia, memory, anxiety, and behavioral despair, respectively. Blood and brain samples were analyzed for biochemical markers. Results indicated that psilocybin significantly reduced stress-induced behavioral despair and cognitive impairments, likely through ECS-mediated downregulation of the HPA axis. These findings suggest that early intervention with psilocybin has sustained beneficial effects on stress-related behavioral and cognitive disturbances, underscoring its potential as a novel therapeutic approach for stress-related mental health disorders.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AnimalsRats, WistarMaleRatsStress, PsychologicalCognitive DysfunctionPsilocybinHypothalamo-Hypophyseal SystemPituitary-Adrenal SystemDepressionBehavior, AnimalCorticosteroneDisease Models, Animal
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy85/10
Quality75/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations1
Citations/Year1.0
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.05
Weight Score2.00
Normalized Score0.69
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