#scicomm — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #scicomm, aggregated by home.social.
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This week's #NewBooks at the library: three second-hand books, all revolving around the theme of ice.
- #Antarctica: An Intimate Portrait of the World's Most Mysterious Continent by Gabrielle Walker, published by Bloomsbury Publishing.
- The Ice Finders: How a Poet, a Professor, and a Politician Discovered the #IceAge by Edmund Blair Bolles, published by Counterpoint.
- Glaciovolcanism on Earth and Mars: Products, Processes and Palaeoenvironmental Significance by Benjamin R Edwards and John L Smellie, published by Cambridge University Press.#Books #Bookstodon #Glaciology #HistoryOfScience #ScienceHistory #HistSci #Volcanology #EarthSciences #Geology #Scicomm @bookstodon
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Vote #Orpiment in Round 1 Match 5 of the #MinCup26!
The storied pigment is found in the great Hokusai’s woodblock prints, and those of other masters of the Edo era. Cuprite could never.
Vote for orpiment here: https://www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-results/vote-r1m05
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Vote #Orpiment in Round 1 Match 5 of the #MinCup26!
The storied pigment is found in the great Hokusai’s woodblock prints, and those of other masters of the Edo era. Cuprite could never.
Vote for orpiment here: https://www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-results/vote-r1m05
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Vote #Orpiment in Round 1 Match 5 of the #MinCup26!
The storied pigment is found in the great Hokusai’s woodblock prints, and those of other masters of the Edo era. Cuprite could never.
Vote for orpiment here: https://www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-results/vote-r1m05
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Vote #Orpiment in Round 1 Match 5 of the #MinCup26!
The storied pigment is found in the great Hokusai’s woodblock prints, and those of other masters of the Edo era. Cuprite could never.
Vote for orpiment here: https://www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-results/vote-r1m05
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Vote #Orpiment in Round 1 Match 5 of the #MinCup26!
The storied pigment is found in the great Hokusai’s woodblock prints, and those of other masters of the Edo era. Cuprite could never.
Vote for orpiment here: https://www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-results/vote-r1m05
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Nefertiti says vote for Orpiment!
Her bust employs the storied pigment.
#MinCup26 #scicomm #artHist #Egyptology
Vote for Orpiment here:
https://www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-results/vote-r1m05 -
Cézanne thinks you should vote for orpiment the storied pigment in Round 1 Match 5 of the Mineral Cup!
Vote here: https://www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-results/vote-r1m05
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Tintoretto thinks you need to go vote for Orpiment, the storied pigment!
Round 1 Match 5
Vote for #Orpiment here: https://www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-results/vote-r1m05 -
She stopped going to church at thirty. Skipped her own father's funeral one floor above. And yet Emily Dickinson lowered gingerbread by rope to the neighborhood children she called storm-tossed pirates.
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in the works of great masters like Rembrandt.
Ironically The Night Watch, cited in the worm article, long believed to use Orpiment was recently shown to have used pararealgar and semi-amorphous pararealgar instead. But both natural and produced orpiment have been found amongst his pigments in other paintings, like one previous, known as The Jewish Bride. 🧵3/4
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@projectseahorse Highlighting the excellent infographic in your linked paper:
https://projectseahorse.org/bottom-trawling-catches-thousands-of-fish-species/#BottomTrawling #ecocide #SciComm #SeaLife #seahorse #guitarfish #croaker
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Bones found in Yukon ID'd as ice-age cheetah
What a great discovery.
#Science #Paleontology #Canada #Scicomm
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-cheetah-bones-9.7327639 -
What have we learned from research on neuroplasticity & how the nervous system repairs & remodels after a #stroke or other injury?
This was a fun podcast episode w/ my amazing co-host Dr. Jyutika Mehta & our wonderful guests Drs. John Krakauer & Randy Nudo.
twu.edu/stroke-cente...
#scicomm 🧪 🧠🔄 🧠📈 -
Schrödinger’s muse: Cleverness as a strategy for popularizing physics
A few years before Erwin Schrödinger's cat fable-turned-meme of 1935, he delved into a style of science communication all his own. Writing for Koralle magazine, a popular science weekly in Berlin, Schrödinger took readers on a rhetorical jaunt through the peculiarities of natural science. Physics, his muse, was a terrible subject for leisure reading. Made popular by Einstein's relativity revolutions of 1905 & 1915, early attempts at explaining physics to the public defied comprehension. […] -
A bird-headed prince eats souls on a toilet. A choir of the damned sings from sheet music tattooed on a sinner's bare buttocks. In 2014, a sophomore transcribed the notes. They play. Hieronymus Bosch, patient deposition-filer of Hell.
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Bournonite has been used an minor ore of copper, lead & originally antimony, all of which are have important pigment uses & those cog-wheel crystals are cool, but truthfully I can’t find Bournonite-specific art uses.
So I vote for pretty Vesuvianite crystals which are sometimes cut as gems. #MinCup26
Vote here: https://www.mineralcup.org/2026/vote-results/vote-r1m04
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#Wissenschaftskommunikation stärkt das gesellschaftliche Verständnis von Wissenschaft und das Vertrauen in sie. Die DFG bietet jetzt erweiterte Fördermöglichkeiten: Pauschale und Zusatzanträge in DFG-geförderten Forschungsprojekten. Details 👉 https://www.dfg.de/de/aktuelles/neuigkeiten-themen/info-wissenschaft/2026/ifw-26-63
#Wisskomm #scicomm -
DATE: September 3, 2026 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Psilocin triggers rapid neural growth in laboratory study
URL: https://www.psypost.org/psilocin-triggers-rapid-neural-growth-in-laboratory-study/
Psilocin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, promotes the rapid growth of neural connections in laboratory settings at a level comparable to established psychiatric drugs like ketamine and lithium. These structural changes to brain cells offer a biological explanation for the rapid antidepressant effects observed in recent clinical trials of psychedelics. The findings were published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.
Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to modify its physical structure and rewire its connections in response to new experiences. This biological process plays a fundamental role in learning and memory, as well as in the development of neuropsychiatric conditions. Disorders such as severe depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder are often accompanied by a loss of neuroplasticity. Over time, neurons in specific regions of the brain begin to shrivel, losing the tiny branches and synaptic connections they use to communicate with one another.
Standard psychiatric treatments generally aim to restore these lost connections, but they often operate on a delayed timeline. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, commonly known as SSRIs, are the most widely prescribed class of antidepressants. Drugs like fluoxetine work by blocking the reabsorption of serotonin in the brain, which slowly helps reopen a window of plasticity. However, these structural effects take weeks to materialize, and many patients do not experience a reduction in symptoms.
Lithium, a medication primarily used as a mood stabilizer for bipolar disorder, also promotes neuroplasticity and protects neurons from damage. Despite its efficacy, lithium carries a narrow safety margin and a risk of severe side effects involving the kidneys and thyroid. Because of these limitations, psychiatric research has shifted toward finding interventions that can trigger neuroplasticity safely and rapidly.
In contrast to traditional daily medications, compounds like ketamine and classical psychedelics produce rapid and long-lasting antidepressant effects after a single dose. These drugs are often grouped as psychoplastogens because of their capacity to rapidly induce structural growth in neurons. Yana Vella and Kateřina Syrová, researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health in Czechia, led a team to compare these new and old compounds directly. The researchers sought to document exactly how these distinct classes of drugs influence brain cells at a molecular level.
To observe this growth in a highly controlled environment, the research team extracted brain cells from the cerebral cortex of rat embryos. They isolated the cells and seeded them onto specially coated laboratory plates. Over several weeks in a nutrient-rich medium, the isolated neurons grew and formed spontaneous communication networks.
Once the cell networks matured, the researchers treated different batches with a single dose of psilocin, LSD, DMT, ketamine, fluoxetine, or lithium. After 24 hours of exposure, the scientists used fluorescent antibodies to visually tag specific structural proteins within the neurons. They targeted synapsin, a protein located in the vesicles at the transmitting end of a nerve cell, and PSD-95, a protein that anchors receptors at the receiving end of a nerve cell.
Using a confocal laser scanning microscope and specialized image analysis software, they mapped the physical architecture of the neurons. They counted the microscopic spots where the presynaptic synapsin and postsynaptic PSD-95 proteins spatially overlapped. This overlapping visual signal indicates a fully established synaptic connection between two cells.
Psilocin increased the overall number of formed synapses across the cultured neurons. This rapid synapse-building capacity matched the growth produced by ketamine and lithium. Ketamine also selectively increased the density of PSD-95 proteins, indicating a specific enhancement on the receiving ends of the synapses.
Conversely, LSD, DMT, and fluoxetine produced no measurable changes in the number of synaptic connections during this 24-hour testing window. The lack of structural growth from fluoxetine aligns with the drug’s typical pharmacological timeline. Fluoxetine generally requires chronic administration over several weeks to alter brain architecture in living animals, making a single laboratory dose an ineffective trigger for rapid structural change.
In a separate phase of the study, the researchers measured the activation of immediate early genes within the cultured neurons. These genes act as a rapid response system in biological environments. They switch on within minutes of a stimulus without requiring the cell to synthesize new proteins first. Once activated, these genes initiate a chain reaction, providing the instructions for other proteins that build, stabilize, and maintain new synaptic connections.
The researchers extracted genetic material from the cells one hour and 24 hours after drug exposure. They used a technique called quantitative polymerase chain reaction to measure the expression levels of three specific genes known to support neuroplasticity. By analyzing the genetic material, they could measure which drugs triggered the molecular machinery necessary for long-term neural adaptation.
One hour after treatment, psilocin caused a rapid spike in the expression of the Arc gene. The Arc gene produces a protein that helps shape the physical structure of the synapse and manages the flow of chemical signals across the cell membrane. The rapid activation of Arc provides a potential molecular mechanism for how psilocin initiates neural growth so quickly.
At the 24-hour mark, fluoxetine increased the activity of the Egr1 and Npas4 genes. Egr1 acts as a transcription factor that binds to DNA and regulates the overall organization of synapses. Npas4 operates as a homeostatic regulator, helping to maintain a healthy balance between excitatory and inhibitory electrical signals in the brain. The other tested drugs did not reliably activate these specific genes at the tested time points, suggesting different compounds might rely on distinct molecular pathways to produce their effects.
The study took place in isolated cells in a laboratory rather than in a living animal or human. Living brains contain diverse networks of interacting cell types, including specialized support cells, that a simple laboratory culture cannot fully replicate. The researchers also used a mixture of cells from both male and female rat embryos, which might mask sex-specific differences in how neurons respond to psychedelics or antidepressants.
The lack of structural effects from LSD and DMT might stem from how the specific chemical preparations interacted with the cells. The researchers used a fumarate salt form of these compounds to ensure stability in the growth medium. However, they did not add a chemical solvent, such as dimethyl sulfoxide, to help the drugs cross the cell membrane.
Recent biological research suggests that serotonergic psychedelics must enter the interior of the neuron to activate intracellular receptors and trigger growth. Without a permeation enhancer, the salt forms of LSD and DMT may simply have been unable to penetrate the lipid barrier of the cells in this specific experimental setup. Future studies using different drug formulations will be necessary to determine if LSD and DMT possess the same rapid synapse-building properties as psilocin.
The study, “Effects of serotonergic psychedelics on synaptogenesis and immediate early genes expression – comparison with ketamine, fluoxetine and lithium,” was authored by Yana Vella, Kateřina Syrová, Aneta Petrušková, Isis Koutrouli, Viera Kútna, Jan Pala, Klára Šíchová, Marek Nikolič, Vladimír Mazoch, Radek Jurok, Martin Kuchař, Zdeňka Bendová, and Tomáš Páleníček.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/psilocin-triggers-rapid-neural-growth-in-laboratory-study/
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #PsilocinNeuroplasticity #Synaptogenesis #PsychedelicsResearch #NeuronsGrowth #RapidAntidepressant #Neurobiology #KetamineComparison # PsychedelicsSafety #BrainPlasticity #SciComm
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DATE: September 3, 2026 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Psilocin triggers rapid neural growth in laboratory study
URL: https://www.psypost.org/psilocin-triggers-rapid-neural-growth-in-laboratory-study/
Psilocin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, promotes the rapid growth of neural connections in laboratory settings at a level comparable to established psychiatric drugs like ketamine and lithium. These structural changes to brain cells offer a biological explanation for the rapid antidepressant effects observed in recent clinical trials of psychedelics. The findings were published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.
Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to modify its physical structure and rewire its connections in response to new experiences. This biological process plays a fundamental role in learning and memory, as well as in the development of neuropsychiatric conditions. Disorders such as severe depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder are often accompanied by a loss of neuroplasticity. Over time, neurons in specific regions of the brain begin to shrivel, losing the tiny branches and synaptic connections they use to communicate with one another.
Standard psychiatric treatments generally aim to restore these lost connections, but they often operate on a delayed timeline. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, commonly known as SSRIs, are the most widely prescribed class of antidepressants. Drugs like fluoxetine work by blocking the reabsorption of serotonin in the brain, which slowly helps reopen a window of plasticity. However, these structural effects take weeks to materialize, and many patients do not experience a reduction in symptoms.
Lithium, a medication primarily used as a mood stabilizer for bipolar disorder, also promotes neuroplasticity and protects neurons from damage. Despite its efficacy, lithium carries a narrow safety margin and a risk of severe side effects involving the kidneys and thyroid. Because of these limitations, psychiatric research has shifted toward finding interventions that can trigger neuroplasticity safely and rapidly.
In contrast to traditional daily medications, compounds like ketamine and classical psychedelics produce rapid and long-lasting antidepressant effects after a single dose. These drugs are often grouped as psychoplastogens because of their capacity to rapidly induce structural growth in neurons. Yana Vella and Kateřina Syrová, researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health in Czechia, led a team to compare these new and old compounds directly. The researchers sought to document exactly how these distinct classes of drugs influence brain cells at a molecular level.
To observe this growth in a highly controlled environment, the research team extracted brain cells from the cerebral cortex of rat embryos. They isolated the cells and seeded them onto specially coated laboratory plates. Over several weeks in a nutrient-rich medium, the isolated neurons grew and formed spontaneous communication networks.
Once the cell networks matured, the researchers treated different batches with a single dose of psilocin, LSD, DMT, ketamine, fluoxetine, or lithium. After 24 hours of exposure, the scientists used fluorescent antibodies to visually tag specific structural proteins within the neurons. They targeted synapsin, a protein located in the vesicles at the transmitting end of a nerve cell, and PSD-95, a protein that anchors receptors at the receiving end of a nerve cell.
Using a confocal laser scanning microscope and specialized image analysis software, they mapped the physical architecture of the neurons. They counted the microscopic spots where the presynaptic synapsin and postsynaptic PSD-95 proteins spatially overlapped. This overlapping visual signal indicates a fully established synaptic connection between two cells.
Psilocin increased the overall number of formed synapses across the cultured neurons. This rapid synapse-building capacity matched the growth produced by ketamine and lithium. Ketamine also selectively increased the density of PSD-95 proteins, indicating a specific enhancement on the receiving ends of the synapses.
Conversely, LSD, DMT, and fluoxetine produced no measurable changes in the number of synaptic connections during this 24-hour testing window. The lack of structural growth from fluoxetine aligns with the drug’s typical pharmacological timeline. Fluoxetine generally requires chronic administration over several weeks to alter brain architecture in living animals, making a single laboratory dose an ineffective trigger for rapid structural change.
In a separate phase of the study, the researchers measured the activation of immediate early genes within the cultured neurons. These genes act as a rapid response system in biological environments. They switch on within minutes of a stimulus without requiring the cell to synthesize new proteins first. Once activated, these genes initiate a chain reaction, providing the instructions for other proteins that build, stabilize, and maintain new synaptic connections.
The researchers extracted genetic material from the cells one hour and 24 hours after drug exposure. They used a technique called quantitative polymerase chain reaction to measure the expression levels of three specific genes known to support neuroplasticity. By analyzing the genetic material, they could measure which drugs triggered the molecular machinery necessary for long-term neural adaptation.
One hour after treatment, psilocin caused a rapid spike in the expression of the Arc gene. The Arc gene produces a protein that helps shape the physical structure of the synapse and manages the flow of chemical signals across the cell membrane. The rapid activation of Arc provides a potential molecular mechanism for how psilocin initiates neural growth so quickly.
At the 24-hour mark, fluoxetine increased the activity of the Egr1 and Npas4 genes. Egr1 acts as a transcription factor that binds to DNA and regulates the overall organization of synapses. Npas4 operates as a homeostatic regulator, helping to maintain a healthy balance between excitatory and inhibitory electrical signals in the brain. The other tested drugs did not reliably activate these specific genes at the tested time points, suggesting different compounds might rely on distinct molecular pathways to produce their effects.
The study took place in isolated cells in a laboratory rather than in a living animal or human. Living brains contain diverse networks of interacting cell types, including specialized support cells, that a simple laboratory culture cannot fully replicate. The researchers also used a mixture of cells from both male and female rat embryos, which might mask sex-specific differences in how neurons respond to psychedelics or antidepressants.
The lack of structural effects from LSD and DMT might stem from how the specific chemical preparations interacted with the cells. The researchers used a fumarate salt form of these compounds to ensure stability in the growth medium. However, they did not add a chemical solvent, such as dimethyl sulfoxide, to help the drugs cross the cell membrane.
Recent biological research suggests that serotonergic psychedelics must enter the interior of the neuron to activate intracellular receptors and trigger growth. Without a permeation enhancer, the salt forms of LSD and DMT may simply have been unable to penetrate the lipid barrier of the cells in this specific experimental setup. Future studies using different drug formulations will be necessary to determine if LSD and DMT possess the same rapid synapse-building properties as psilocin.
The study, “Effects of serotonergic psychedelics on synaptogenesis and immediate early genes expression – comparison with ketamine, fluoxetine and lithium,” was authored by Yana Vella, Kateřina Syrová, Aneta Petrušková, Isis Koutrouli, Viera Kútna, Jan Pala, Klára Šíchová, Marek Nikolič, Vladimír Mazoch, Radek Jurok, Martin Kuchař, Zdeňka Bendová, and Tomáš Páleníček.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/psilocin-triggers-rapid-neural-growth-in-laboratory-study/
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #PsilocinNeuroplasticity #Synaptogenesis #PsychedelicsResearch #NeuronsGrowth #RapidAntidepressant #Neurobiology #KetamineComparison # PsychedelicsSafety #BrainPlasticity #SciComm
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DATE: September 3, 2026 at 04:00PM
SOURCE: PSYPOST.ORG** Research quality varies widely from fantastic to small exploratory studies. Please check research methods when conclusions are very important to you. **
-------------------------------------------------TITLE: Psilocin triggers rapid neural growth in laboratory study
URL: https://www.psypost.org/psilocin-triggers-rapid-neural-growth-in-laboratory-study/
Psilocin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, promotes the rapid growth of neural connections in laboratory settings at a level comparable to established psychiatric drugs like ketamine and lithium. These structural changes to brain cells offer a biological explanation for the rapid antidepressant effects observed in recent clinical trials of psychedelics. The findings were published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.
Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to modify its physical structure and rewire its connections in response to new experiences. This biological process plays a fundamental role in learning and memory, as well as in the development of neuropsychiatric conditions. Disorders such as severe depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder are often accompanied by a loss of neuroplasticity. Over time, neurons in specific regions of the brain begin to shrivel, losing the tiny branches and synaptic connections they use to communicate with one another.
Standard psychiatric treatments generally aim to restore these lost connections, but they often operate on a delayed timeline. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, commonly known as SSRIs, are the most widely prescribed class of antidepressants. Drugs like fluoxetine work by blocking the reabsorption of serotonin in the brain, which slowly helps reopen a window of plasticity. However, these structural effects take weeks to materialize, and many patients do not experience a reduction in symptoms.
Lithium, a medication primarily used as a mood stabilizer for bipolar disorder, also promotes neuroplasticity and protects neurons from damage. Despite its efficacy, lithium carries a narrow safety margin and a risk of severe side effects involving the kidneys and thyroid. Because of these limitations, psychiatric research has shifted toward finding interventions that can trigger neuroplasticity safely and rapidly.
In contrast to traditional daily medications, compounds like ketamine and classical psychedelics produce rapid and long-lasting antidepressant effects after a single dose. These drugs are often grouped as psychoplastogens because of their capacity to rapidly induce structural growth in neurons. Yana Vella and Kateřina Syrová, researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health in Czechia, led a team to compare these new and old compounds directly. The researchers sought to document exactly how these distinct classes of drugs influence brain cells at a molecular level.
To observe this growth in a highly controlled environment, the research team extracted brain cells from the cerebral cortex of rat embryos. They isolated the cells and seeded them onto specially coated laboratory plates. Over several weeks in a nutrient-rich medium, the isolated neurons grew and formed spontaneous communication networks.
Once the cell networks matured, the researchers treated different batches with a single dose of psilocin, LSD, DMT, ketamine, fluoxetine, or lithium. After 24 hours of exposure, the scientists used fluorescent antibodies to visually tag specific structural proteins within the neurons. They targeted synapsin, a protein located in the vesicles at the transmitting end of a nerve cell, and PSD-95, a protein that anchors receptors at the receiving end of a nerve cell.
Using a confocal laser scanning microscope and specialized image analysis software, they mapped the physical architecture of the neurons. They counted the microscopic spots where the presynaptic synapsin and postsynaptic PSD-95 proteins spatially overlapped. This overlapping visual signal indicates a fully established synaptic connection between two cells.
Psilocin increased the overall number of formed synapses across the cultured neurons. This rapid synapse-building capacity matched the growth produced by ketamine and lithium. Ketamine also selectively increased the density of PSD-95 proteins, indicating a specific enhancement on the receiving ends of the synapses.
Conversely, LSD, DMT, and fluoxetine produced no measurable changes in the number of synaptic connections during this 24-hour testing window. The lack of structural growth from fluoxetine aligns with the drug’s typical pharmacological timeline. Fluoxetine generally requires chronic administration over several weeks to alter brain architecture in living animals, making a single laboratory dose an ineffective trigger for rapid structural change.
In a separate phase of the study, the researchers measured the activation of immediate early genes within the cultured neurons. These genes act as a rapid response system in biological environments. They switch on within minutes of a stimulus without requiring the cell to synthesize new proteins first. Once activated, these genes initiate a chain reaction, providing the instructions for other proteins that build, stabilize, and maintain new synaptic connections.
The researchers extracted genetic material from the cells one hour and 24 hours after drug exposure. They used a technique called quantitative polymerase chain reaction to measure the expression levels of three specific genes known to support neuroplasticity. By analyzing the genetic material, they could measure which drugs triggered the molecular machinery necessary for long-term neural adaptation.
One hour after treatment, psilocin caused a rapid spike in the expression of the Arc gene. The Arc gene produces a protein that helps shape the physical structure of the synapse and manages the flow of chemical signals across the cell membrane. The rapid activation of Arc provides a potential molecular mechanism for how psilocin initiates neural growth so quickly.
At the 24-hour mark, fluoxetine increased the activity of the Egr1 and Npas4 genes. Egr1 acts as a transcription factor that binds to DNA and regulates the overall organization of synapses. Npas4 operates as a homeostatic regulator, helping to maintain a healthy balance between excitatory and inhibitory electrical signals in the brain. The other tested drugs did not reliably activate these specific genes at the tested time points, suggesting different compounds might rely on distinct molecular pathways to produce their effects.
The study took place in isolated cells in a laboratory rather than in a living animal or human. Living brains contain diverse networks of interacting cell types, including specialized support cells, that a simple laboratory culture cannot fully replicate. The researchers also used a mixture of cells from both male and female rat embryos, which might mask sex-specific differences in how neurons respond to psychedelics or antidepressants.
The lack of structural effects from LSD and DMT might stem from how the specific chemical preparations interacted with the cells. The researchers used a fumarate salt form of these compounds to ensure stability in the growth medium. However, they did not add a chemical solvent, such as dimethyl sulfoxide, to help the drugs cross the cell membrane.
Recent biological research suggests that serotonergic psychedelics must enter the interior of the neuron to activate intracellular receptors and trigger growth. Without a permeation enhancer, the salt forms of LSD and DMT may simply have been unable to penetrate the lipid barrier of the cells in this specific experimental setup. Future studies using different drug formulations will be necessary to determine if LSD and DMT possess the same rapid synapse-building properties as psilocin.
The study, “Effects of serotonergic psychedelics on synaptogenesis and immediate early genes expression – comparison with ketamine, fluoxetine and lithium,” was authored by Yana Vella, Kateřina Syrová, Aneta Petrušková, Isis Koutrouli, Viera Kútna, Jan Pala, Klára Šíchová, Marek Nikolič, Vladimír Mazoch, Radek Jurok, Martin Kuchař, Zdeňka Bendová, and Tomáš Páleníček.
URL: https://www.psypost.org/psilocin-triggers-rapid-neural-growth-in-laboratory-study/
-------------------------------------------------
Private, vetted email list for mental health professionals: https://www.clinicians-exchange.org
Unofficial Psychology Today Xitter to toot feed at Psych Today Unofficial Bot @PTUnofficialBot
-------------------------------------------------
#psychology #counseling #socialwork #psychotherapy @psychotherapist @psychotherapists @psychology @socialpsych @socialwork @psychiatry #mentalhealth #psychiatry #healthcare #depression #psychotherapist #PsilocinNeuroplasticity #Synaptogenesis #PsychedelicsResearch #NeuronsGrowth #RapidAntidepressant #Neurobiology #KetamineComparison # PsychedelicsSafety #BrainPlasticity #SciComm
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24/7 Lecture - they have to explain their concept in 24 seconds and summarize in 7 words.
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Do we really need little anthropomorphised #robots with googly eyes explaining us stuff or guiding through articles for #sciComm and topics such as #journalism, #digitalMedia and #technology?
Why robots? Why not talking plastic bags or cute grannies? At least the latter have googly eyes, too. :clippy:
Boost for better results pls -
Do we really need little anthropomorphised #robots with googly eyes explaining us stuff or guiding through articles for #sciComm and topics such as #journalism, #digitalMedia and #technology?
Why robots? Why not talking plastic bags or cute grannies? At least the latter have googly eyes, too. :clippy:
Boost for better results pls -
Do we really need little anthropomorphised #robots with googly eyes explaining us stuff or guiding through articles for #sciComm and topics such as #journalism, #digitalMedia and #technology?
Why robots? Why not talking plastic bags or cute grannies? At least the latter have googly eyes, too. :clippy:
Boost for better results pls -
Do we really need little anthropomorphised #robots with googly eyes explaining us stuff or guiding through articles for #sciComm and topics such as #journalism, #digitalMedia and #technology?
Why robots? Why not talking plastic bags or cute grannies? At least the latter have googly eyes, too. :clippy:
Boost for better results pls -
Do we really need little anthropomorphised #robots with googly eyes explaining us stuff or guiding through articles for #sciComm and topics such as #journalism, #digitalMedia and #technology?
Why robots? Why not talking plastic bags or cute grannies? At least the latter have googly eyes, too. :clippy:
Boost for better results pls -
At thirteen, a loom took her right ear, an eyebrow, and most of her scalp. At thirty-seven, she rode alone into the Valleys of the Assassins and corrected the British maps by hand. Freya Stark crossed the desert in a Dior cartwheel brim.
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At thirteen, a loom took her right ear, an eyebrow, and most of her scalp. At thirty-seven, she rode alone into the Valleys of the Assassins and corrected the British maps by hand. Freya Stark crossed the desert in a Dior cartwheel brim.
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At thirteen, a loom took her right ear, an eyebrow, and most of her scalp. At thirty-seven, she rode alone into the Valleys of the Assassins and corrected the British maps by hand. Freya Stark crossed the desert in a Dior cartwheel brim.
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At thirteen, a loom took her right ear, an eyebrow, and most of her scalp. At thirty-seven, she rode alone into the Valleys of the Assassins and corrected the British maps by hand. Freya Stark crossed the desert in a Dior cartwheel brim.
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This week's #NewBooks at the library: Several new books bought at bargain prices:
- The Nile Basin: Quaternary #Geology, #Geomorphology and Prehistoric Environments by Martin Williams, published by Cambridge University Press.
- A Pipeline Runs Through It: The Story of #Oil from Ancient Times to the First World War by Keith Fisher, published by Allen Lane.
- The Great Paradox of #Science: Why Its Conclusions Can Be Relied Upon Even Though They Cannot Be Proven by Mano Singham, published by Oxford University Press.#Books #Bookstodon #Scicomm #EarthSciences #FossilFuels #Energy #History #Philosophy @bookstodon
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For the next 5 days Western Science Center will be at #laconv in #anaheim talking about #paleontology and selling plushies and #fossil replicas! Stop by our booth!
#scicomm #palaeontology #museum @LAcon -
RE: https://bildung.social/@oetube/117160677971877872
Spannende Frage an die #WissKomm - und #Bildung -Bubble!
cc @HRK_aktuell @unipotsdam @Uni_Stuttgart @unijena @freieuniversitaet @unikonstanz @UniOldenburg @neuSoM @unibremen @tuberlin @Hochschule_Reutlingen etc.
➡️ Gern weitergeben!
👇
#education #Universität #university #science #wissenschaft #scicomm #FediLZ #teaching #Hochschule #padagogik #vhs #Volkshochschule
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RE: https://bildung.social/@oetube/117156904271996546
Gute Neuigkeiten für #WissKomm & #Bildung im #Fediverse! 🎉 🚀
Mit #OE_Tube entsteht eine #PeerTube-Referenzinstanz für offene Bildungsvideos:
👉 @oetube (folgen!)Gestartet von @hbunke & @fahrenkrog von @tibhannover 🙏:
„Ziel ist u.a. die Qualifizierung & Motivierung von Bildungsakteur:innen, PeerTube eigenständig zu nutzen: mit Starterkit (Betriebs-/ #DSGVO Vorlagen u.a.) & Trainings.“
#SciComm #Lehre #Schule #VHS #NeuHier #FediLZ #FediCampus #education #school #teachers #volkshochschule #OER
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This week's #NewBooks at the library: several damaged books saved from going into the bin:
- True Nature: The Lives of #PeterMatthiessen, published by Chatto & Windus.
- On Natural Capital: The Value of the World Around Us, published by Witness Books.
- The Last #Butterflies: A Scientist's Quest to Save a Rare and Vanishing Creature, published by Princeton University Press.#Books #Bookstodon #Scicomm #Biography #Economics #Insects #Entomology @princetonupress @bookstodon
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Scientific data may be complex, but you can help people grasp them more easily by following a few #design principles. Check out this talk by Mike Morrison if you want to create more visually appealing figures and posters:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfYLpB0irOo
#SciComm #academia #Wisskomm #ScienceMastodon #VisualCommunication
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This week's #NewBooks at the library: second-hand copies galore!
- The #Owl Who Liked Sitting on Caesar: Life with a Lovable Tawny Owl, published by Bantam Press, bought at a local recycling shop.
- Lyell: The Past is the Key to the Present, published by the Geological Society of London.
- Volcanoes in Human History: The Far-Reaching Effects of Major Eruptions, published by @princetonupress.Books #Bookstodon #Scicomm #Birds #BirdsOfPrey #HistoryOfScience #ScienceHistory #HistSci #Geology #EarthSciences #Volcanoes #Volcanology @bookstodon
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The mere presence of a shark may create a 'landscape of fear' & benefit coral. Protect the predators!
Art, appreciation, storytelling by Kelley Whitley, #OceanArtivist:
https://oceanartivist.com/fear-behavior-and-an-unexpected-ally/Original science at
https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-025-07716-6#SciComm #behavior #KeystoneSpecies #shark #CoralReef #fisheries #SeaLife #MarineConservation
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This week's #NewBooks at the library:
- Another second-hand volume to my growing collection of The Correspondence of #CharlesDarwin, this one Volume 26: 1878, published by Cambridge University Press.
- #Warhammer: The Art of #GamesWorkshop, a rather rare exhibition catalogue of grimdark artwork that I bought via eBay.
- I Have Landed: The End of a Beginning in #NaturalHistory, the final of the essay bundles from #StephenJayGould, published by Harmony Books.#Books #Bookstodon #HistoryOfScience #ScienceHistory #HistSci #Evolution #EvolutionaryBiology #Scicomm @bookstodon
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New blog post!
A little Ice Age leg bone for our new exhibit.
https://life-from-a-certain-point-of-view.ghost.io/a-little-leg-bone-from-the-ice-age/
As always, if you like these posts please leave a tip or become a subscriber. All proceeds support research and education at the Western Science Center.
#paleontology #palaeontology #fossil #pleistocene #museum #scicomm
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What happens when AI helps write science?
A Nature commentary suggests one overlooked consequence: uncertainty may become less visible in scientific papers, even though it is central to how knowledge advances.
🔗 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01605-6
#ArtificialIntelligence #Science #SciComm #ResearchCulture #AcademicResearch
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Eine Katastrophe für die betroffene Region, aber eine einmalige Chance für die #Forschung: 2023 brannten zwei Drittel des H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, Oregon – einem der weltweit am besten erforschten Wälder.
Hydrologe Prof. Julian Klaus (Universität Bonn) nutzt dieses „Natur-Labor“ im Projekt Fire-stream, um zu untersuchen, wie Waldbrände Abfluss, #Wasserqualität und das Alter des Wassers verändern.
Zum Interview: https://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/de/news/interview/auswirkungen-von-waldbraenden-auf-wasserhaushalt-das-projekt-fire-stream
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📆 Sei dabei:
Von Social Media👍, über KI trifft Biologie 🌱, Umgang mit Rohstoffen, neue Ausgrabungen in der Grube Messel ⚒️, Debattenkultur 🗨️ bis hin zum speziellen Summer Science Slam 🎤, im Juni bieten wir euch gleich sechs verschiedene Veranstaltungen an!
📍 In Schloss Herrenhausen oder im Livestream.
🤩 Eintritt wie immer frei!🌐 Mehr Infos zu unseren Veranstaltungen: https://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/de/veranstaltungen
#wissenschaft #forschung #WirStiftenWissen #SciComm #ScienceSlam #Biologie #Archäologie #KI
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Wusstest du, dass ein bekanntes Medikament wie #Aspirin ursprünglich aus Weidenrinde 🌳 stammt?
Traditionelles #Pflanzenwissen 🌱 hat viele medizinische Entdeckungen inspiriert. Ein Forschungsfeld, an dem auch Ethnopharmakologe Dr. Fabien Schultz arbeitet: https://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/de/news/story/apotheke-aus-dem-regenwald-heilmittel-fuer-die-psyche
#VolkswagenStiftung #Grundlagenforschung #SciComm
Was schätzt du: Wie viel Prozent der modernen Medikamente stammen direkt aus Pflanzen?
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What is peat?
How does it burn?
Why are we normalising “haze season”?
How do we feel?
Can we express it?Stimulating questions, thrilling performance & artistic exploration of science, social priorities and policy at ‘Echoes of Climate’. This promising collaboration continues.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t2SkK1oI9NDzsEtMWZiYFhayivCjpE5m/#RhythmInBronze #EcoArt #NewMusic #gamelan #peat #ForestFire #haze #ecology conservation #SciComm #Malaysia #UniversityOfYork #LSE
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Breezing through the otherwise quite thoughtful bit of small-scale climate prophecy by Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway, I'm struck by (and not sure how to get past) the casual way Africa and Australia are totally destroyed in this brief mention on the last page of the imagined history.
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This Commentary explores work by Liao et al. on the role of NITROGEN LIMITATION ADAPTATION (NLA) in #plant cold tolerance, framing it within the broader context of #ClimateChange and #nutrient constraints.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jipb.70255
@WileyLifeSci
#PlantSci #SciComm #JIPB #AgTech -
BIFOLD, Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute HHI, and the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, PTB are teaming up for the LNDW in Berlin, bringing two events, held in German. @[email protected] @[email protected] #ptb #LNDW #AISquare #SciComm #ScienceSlam #AI #LLM