In Vitro Screening of the Neuroplastic Effect of Psychoactive Mushroom Extracts
Neuroplasticity underlies learning, memory, and cognitive flexibility, and its impairment is a hallmark of neurological and psychiatric disorders. While psychedelic compounds are associated with plasticity-enhancing effects, the neuroplastic potential of whole mushroom extracts remains poorly characterized. Here, we tested whether whole extracts from neuroactive fungi modulate structural plasticity using an in vitro neuronal model and a high-throughput neurite analysis system we developed. Psilocybin-producing mushrooms showed species-specific effects, likely reflecting differences in metabolic composition, whereas Amanita muscaria showed no detectable structural or molecular effects. Together, these findings demonstrate that whole mushroom extracts differentially affect neuronal plasticity and established a platform for identifying novel modulators of neuronal growth.
