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Neurochemistry of Psilocybin

Diving deep into how psilocybin actually works in the brain. Serotonin 2A receptors, default mode network disruption, neuroplasticity windows. The science behind why a molecule can shift perspective so fundamentally.

Why This Interests Me

A molecule that can fundamentally shift perspective. That demands understanding.

The Basics

Psilocybin converts to psilocin in the body. Psilocin binds to serotonin 2A receptors. But that's just the beginning.

Default Mode Network

The DMN is your sense of self. The narrative voice. Psilocybin quiets it. What happens when the narrator goes silent?

Neuroplasticity Windows

Research suggests psilocybin opens windows of heightened neuroplasticity. The brain becomes more malleable. Old patterns can shift.

Current Reading

  • How to Change Your Mind - Michael Pollan
  • MAPS research papers
  • Imperial College London studies
  • Questions I'm Sitting With

  • What's the relationship between ego dissolution and lasting change?
  • How do set and setting interact with neurochemistry?
  • What can we learn from traditional ceremonial use?
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