Psychedelics May ‘Reset’ the Brains of People With Depression and Anxiety

Astrocytes are star-shaped brain cells that play a key role in your mental health. According to a new study out of Harvard, researchers are finding that psychedelics like psilocybin and MDMA might be able to calm your brain’s immune system. Even after plenty of other studies have found that psychedelics might be able to treat PTSD and depression.

Neuroimmunologist Michael Wheeler and his team have demonstrated that these brain-bending substances can dial down inflammation and rewire the communication pathways between your neurons and immune cells. Chronic brain inflammation has been linked to depression and anxiety.

Astrocytes tend to freak out under chronic stress. They are built to handle short-term stress, but crack under the pressure of sustained long-term stress, reducing the ability of a receptor called EGFR, or Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, to enable communication between neurons and immune cells.

Harvard’s researchers stress-tested mice, subjected them to both short-term and long-term anxiety, and watched as the mice’s astrocytes either held the line or crumbled under the pressure. Then, they introduced the psychedelics. Mice that took psilocybin or MDMA showed reduced inflammation and fewer fear-based behaviors.

Even better news is that human brain cells showed similar patterns, and data from people with major depressive disorder showed wonky EGFR signaling, too. That means that it could work on us, too.

Wheeler says that he and his team aren’t suggesting that LSD is the new ibuprofen or Tylenol, but they are suggesting that psychedelics could be an unexpected key to fighting disorders linked to inflammation.