Magic mushrooms ‘remedy physique worries’ and may very well be used to deal with sufferers

Magic mushrooms could be used to treat people obsessed with their appearance, suggests a new study.

A naturally occurring psychedelic drug found in the fungi changes brain connectivity to treat body dysmorphic disorder, say American scientists.

Researchers at Columbia University in New York discovered how a single dose of magic mushrooms alters brain connectivity to alleviate symptoms of the debilitating mental illness.

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Body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD, is characterised by an obsessive preoccupation with perceived flaws in one’s physical appearance.

People with BDD often have distorted self-image, intrusive thoughts, and suffer from compulsive behaviours that significantly impair daily functioning and quality of life.

But doctors say current therapies have limited effect.

The new study, published in the journal Psychedelics, provides BDD patients with hope by revealing how the psychedelic drug psilocybin – the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms” – may change connectivity of brain circuitry, potentially aiding in their treatment.

In a pilot trial, eight adults with moderate-to-severe BDD that had not responded to standard treatments received a single 25mg oral dose of psilocybin in a supportive setting.

Using cutting-edge functional MRI technology, researchers scanned the participants’ brains one day before and one day after the psilocybin session.

Sophisticated pattern analysis techniques were then applied to map changes in brain network connectivity and link them to subsequent clinical outcomes.

The research team said the results were “striking”.

Just one day after being given psilocybin, the patients showed increased connectivity both within a network governing executive functions, and between that network and others involved in processing emotionally salient stimuli and self-referential thinking.

Study co-author Chen Zhang, of Columbia University, said: “Notably, those who showed the greatest strengthening of these neural connections also experienced the most improvement in BDD symptoms one week later.

“While preliminary, the findings align with a growing body of evidence indicating that psychedelic compounds like psilocybin can promote mental health by enhancing the brain’s capacity for flexibility and integration.

“By facilitating communication within and between brain networks that are often dysregulated in psychiatric disorders, psilocybin may help restore more adaptive cognitive and emotional functioning.”

The research team said larger studies are needed to verify the efficiency and durability of the treatment.