Recent findings indicate that women with advanced Alzheimer’s disease experienced notable enhancements in brain function after consuming mushrooms containing psilocybin. This observation comes from a case report in Frontiers in Neuroscience, revolving around an elderly woman who had been battling Alzheimer’s for nearly a decade.
The individual, a Japanese American woman whose identity remains confidential, had faced severe functional decline for about five years. According to the researchers from Brazil, she exhibited progressive dementia, characterized by minimal speech, significant cognitive impairment, urinary incontinence, and diminished motor skills.
She required assistance from caregivers for daily living tasks. The woman was administered two doses of psilocybin mushrooms: an initial dose of 5 grams and a follow-up dose of 3 grams a month later.
Following the first dose, she faced intense sweating and a rise in body temperature, leading to a prolonged state resembling sleep. After around 19 hours, she began engaging in autobiographical conversations that lasted for several hours, as noted by the researchers.
In the days and weeks that followed, she regained control over her urinary functions, was able to walk and dress herself, and began speaking more spontaneously. Additionally, she showed signs of retrieving situations from memory, expressing emotions, making eye contact, and smiling.
After the second dose, improvements in her speech, facial expressions, and humor were reported. Her walking ability also enhanced, and the urinary incontinence persisted.
Interestingly, the researchers noted that the subjects suffered no serious or lasting side effects other than excessive sweating, elevated temperature, and those sleep-like conditions.
Though the effects were observed to last for at least a month, the study did not provide long-term follow-up information. The authors cautioned that the results should be interpreted carefully because they were based on a single case study.
Notably, there was no control group in this study, and it lacked standardized cognitive assessments, brain imaging, and other evaluations. Also, the patient’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis was not corroborated by contemporary biomarkers, leaving room for other neurodegenerative diseases to be a factor, the study pointed out.
Due to the nature of the study, it could not definitively establish a link between psilocybin and the improvement seen in the patient, as fluctuations in her medical condition could also account for those changes.
The researchers concluded that psilocybin mushrooms might temporarily activate brain function in terminal-stage dementia patients, but they advised that controlled clinical trials and comprehensive evaluations are essential to validate these findings.
Dr. Courtney Kloske, who heads scientific initiatives at the Alzheimer’s Association of Chicago, emphasized that larger studies are needed to assess psilocybin’s safety and efficacy for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related conditions.
Kloske, who was not affiliated with the study, recommended consultations with healthcare providers to discuss any medications and supplements being taken, which could interact with approved Alzheimer’s treatments.
Dr. Mark Siegel, a senior medical analyst, expressed skepticism about the significance of the findings, labeling them “questionable” due to their temporary nature and single-subject focus. He also pointed out the potential risks of administering psychedelics to individuals with substantial mental health issues, as behavior can be unpredictable and possibly harmful.
The interest in psilocybin is growing as various states are moving to broaden legal access, despite it remaining federally illegal in the U.S. Oregon plans to begin licensing psilocybin service centers soon, while Colorado and New Mexico are set to launch regulated programs within the next two years.
Nonetheless, as it stands, there aren’t any FDA-approved psilocybin treatments specifically for Alzheimer’s or dementia, and legal access is confined to designated state programs or approved research settings.
Fox News Digital has sought comments from the researchers involved.
