Could Magic Mushrooms Help Depression?

Well, they sure haven't helped to stop these walls from flowing...

British researchers have concluded that the chemical that makes magic mushrooms so magic – psilocybin – could be used as a treatment for depression. Two separate studies published this week both examined the effect that psilocybin had on patients' brains. In the first study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 30 volunteers were given psilocybin before having their brains scanned in an MRI. To us, that sounds like one of the worst trips imaginable (quick aside, kids: if you want to experiment, the best combination is nature, daylight, lots of water, chocolate, and no more than five other people). But the scans revealed psilocybin actually suppressed parts of the brain that other anti-depression treatments target. The second study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, found that psilocybin increased 10 volunteers' ability to recall memories. Together, the two studies contribute to a greater understanding of how psychedelic drugs impact the brain. So, parents – if you're teenager's feeling a little blue, why not pop a few 'shrooms onto the next pizza he eats? (But seriously. Don't do that. There's no worse trip than the one you're not prepared for.)