Psilocybin causes brain networks to reorganize based on activity

One dose of psilocybin induces structural remodeling of dendritic spines in the medial frontal cortex in mice.

• Psilocybin's effects on connectivity are network specific, enhancing connections from perceptual and medial brain regions to subcortical targets.
• Inputs that are part of cortico-cortical recurrent loops are weakened by psilocybin.
• The pattern of synaptic reorganization is influenced by drug-evoked spiking activity.
• Silencing a presynaptic region during psilocybin administration disrupts the rewiring process.
• The findings suggest psilocybin may affect the connectivity of large-scale cortical networks.

Simplified