Scientists have discovered a way to temporarily restore lost brain functions in advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease using a high dose of psilocybin. The results of the pilot experiment were published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Neuroscience. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychoactive compound found in mushrooms of the genus Psilocybe.

Alzheimer's disease is one of the most common forms of dementia, which progresses over time. It gradually deprives a person of the ability to think, communicate, and move freely, making even the simplest daily tasks increasingly difficult.

Most currently available treatments for this disease help improve quality of life but do not provide significant functional recovery. Therefore, scientists have expanded the search for promising therapeutic agents.

Specifically, in this study, scientists conducted a pilot observation involving a single subject – an 80-year-old woman suffering from progressive Alzheimer's disease for 10 years.

At the start of the study, she could barely speak, had no bladder control, and needed help walking. She was given a single high oral dose of 5 grams of psilocybin. A month later, the dose was repeated but with a lower amount – 3 grams.

During the observation, it was found that after taking one high dose of psilocybin, the patient regained a number of abilities she had lost many years ago. For instance, within 19 hours after taking the dose, she was able to hold hour-long conversations about her life, whereas before the study her speech was limited to one or two words at a time. She began to show emotions and respond to humor.

"Not only did her bladder control improve, but her diapers remained dry even at night, and she also began to dress herself, maintain eye contact, and smile at people. Many of the improvements persisted for several weeks, and some even after the second, lower dose," the study states.

The scientists emphasize that the treatment during the study did not reverse the disease but only showed that some functional abilities may persist in the brain at late stages of Alzheimer's and can be temporarily activated under certain conditions.

Earlier, Kursiv reported that the first signs of Alzheimer's disease may appear years before diagnosis and remain unnoticed. However, the new discovery will help identify the risk of the disease at an early stage.