Mood & Mental Health

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Study

Psilocybin Engages Emotions While an SSRI Dampens Them

Psilocybin Engages Emotions While an SSRI Dampens Them

Psilocybin mushrooms

What they found

Both psilocybin and escitalopram improved depression, but psilocybin activated the amygdala while escitalopram suppressed it.

Both psilocybin and escitalopram improved depression, but psilocybin activated the amygdala while escitalopram suppressed it.

How solid is it?

Early human

Early human

Evidence ladder: Lab dish → Animal → Early human → Strong human. Reviews summarize earlier research.

At a glance

Latin name

Psilocybe cubensis

Psilocybe cubensis

Compound

psilocybin, escitalopram

psilocybin, escitalopram

Published in

American Journal of Psychiatry

American Journal of Psychiatry

Covered in Shroom Scan

Section

PSILOCYBIN & LEGISLATION

PSILOCYBIN & LEGISLATION

As it ran in Shroom Scan

Psilocybin vs. SSRI

Psilocybin vs. SSRI

A direct comparison between psilocybin (from Psilocybe cubensis) and the antidepressant escitalopram found that while both improved depression symptoms, psilocybin uniquely activated emotional brain regions like the amygdala, which escitalopram suppressed. This may explain why psilocybin can produce a greater sense of emotional connection and personal insight. This suggests that psilocybin supports recovery through engagement with emotion rather than dampening it.

A direct comparison between psilocybin (from Psilocybe cubensis) and the antidepressant escitalopram found that while both improved depression symptoms, psilocybin uniquely activated emotional brain regions like the amygdala, which escitalopram suppressed. This may explain why psilocybin can produce a greater sense of emotional connection and personal insight. This suggests that psilocybin supports recovery through engagement with emotion rather than dampening it.

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