Âé¶¹´«Ã½

Health

Brain scans reveal magic mushroom drug enhances mindfulness meditation

By Sam Wong

29 May 2019

people meditating

Psychedelic drugs may make meditation more powerful

Hero Images Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo

Meditation and psychedelic drugs are both being investigated as potential treatments for improving mental health, but what happens when the two are combined? To find out, scientists invited a group of meditators to take psilocybin, the active component of magic mushrooms. Their self-reported experiences – and brain scans – hint that such a combined approach leads to stronger effects.

Mindfulness meditation, a set of techniques designed to increase people’s attentiveness and acceptance of the present moment, is thought to have some beneficial effects on health, including…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with Âé¶¹´«Ã½ events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, today with our introductory offers

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop