New Study on Microdosing in Nature Shows Promising Results

Synaptic density

Have you ever marveled at how sometimes the smallest actions can lead to the most profound changes? In our journey through the intriguing landscape of microdosing, this is a recurring theme – tiny doses, significant impact. 

Today, I want to take you along in dissecting a new study that was published in Nature that strengthens this narrative, helping us better understand the mechanisms of microdosing psychedelics.

microdosing study Nature
The new study that was published in Molecular Psychiatry by Nature

Real-life Implications: Beyond the Lab 

What if navigating life’s stresses could become a bit more manageable? What if a pinch of something small could help you recalibrate your emotional compass and make you more resilient? 

These aren’t just philosophical ideas, but real-life implications that we’re exploring right now. 

The science is evolving, and with each study, we’re getting closer to understanding how these micro-interactions within our brain could mean macro improvements in our daily lives.

The latest on the matter

In a recent publication in Nature, researchers took a new angle of approaching the subject with a well-controlled animal model to decipher the mysteries of microdosing. 

In this study, they used rats as their testing animals, and gave them psilocybin in low doses—comparable to a microdose for humans—every second day for 21 days. Here’s what they discovered:

  • Tolerability: The rats tolerated the low doses of psilocybin remarkably well, without any signs of anhedonia, anxiety, or changes in movement—crucial markers since they’re akin to what we use for assessing human responses.
  • Stress Resilience: Microdosing appeared to fortify the rats against stress, a beacon of hope for what could translate to human experiences.
  • Behavioral Changes: The frequency of behaviors similar to human compulsions significantly decreased, hinting at psilocybin’s potential to ease certain repetitive and potentially distressing thought patterns.
  • Biological Shifts: Beyond behavior, the study illuminated increases in 5-HT7 receptor expression and synaptic density in the paraventricular thalamic nucleus, indicating enhanced neural connectivity.

Now this last part deserves some extra attention, so allow me to explain. 

Let’s start with synaptic density: Imagine your brain as a bustling metropolis, with information zipping through neuron pathways like cars on a highway. Synapses are the intersections where information exchanges happen, and in this city, it seems like psilocybin microdosing acts like a master urban planner, creating more intersections for smoother traffic flow, less congestion, and more efficient communication.

The brain area in which these changes in efficiency were found, the paraventricular thalamic nucleus, has been shown to be an important area for the experience of stress in rats. 

So in this study, rats who were microdosing were observed to be more resilient to stressors introduced by the researchers, and the brains of these rats showed changes in areas related to stress as well. 

What This Means for Our Community 

Microdosing is controversial to some, and skepticism exists. 

People who believe that microdosing isn’t legit point to a handful of studies that have found no significant differences between microdosing and placebos when it comes to mood, attention, or creativity. 

But here’s a thought: these studies often rely on self-reported questionnaires and computerized tests in lab settings, tools with their own limitations. Perhaps they don’t fully capture the nuanced experiences individuals face in their daily lives and therefore don’t translate perfectly to real life.

This latest study, however, with its controlled environment and physiological focus, offers a fresh perspective. It supports the idea that the benefits of microdosing have a tangible basis in brain physiology, not just a placebo effect.

As always, the journey doesn’t end here. 

More research, particularly in humans, is essential. But every new study is a step towards deeper understanding and, hopefully, broader acceptance of the positive potentials tucked within this field.

Eager for more insights or simply curious about a microdosing journey? 

Reach out to our community, and let’s explore together!

Join our Facebook and Discord community here.

 

Flow strong,

🌊 Djai

Sources:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-023-02280-z

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