Amygdala
NeuroscienceA pair of almond-shaped brain structures central to processing fear and threat. Several psilocybin studies have found reduced amygdala reactivity to threatening stimuli after dosing, one proposed mechanism behind reported reductions in anxiety and rumination.
Example: A 2023 University of Copenhagen fMRI study (Sophia Armand et al., published in Neuroscience Applied) found psilocybin significantly reduced amygdala reactivity to angry faces in 28 healthy volunteers compared to their own baseline — and the more intense a person's subjective experience, the larger the reduction in amygdala response to fearful faces specifically.
What is the amygdala?
A pair of almond-shaped brain structures central to processing fear and threat.
How does psilocybin affect the amygdala?
Several psilocybin studies have found reduced amygdala reactivity to threatening stimuli after dosing, one proposed mechanism behind reported reductions in anxiety and rumination. A 2023 University of Copenhagen fMRI study (Sophia Armand et al., published in Neuroscience Applied) found psilocybin significantly reduced amygdala reactivity to angry faces in 28 healthy volunteers compared to their own baseline — and the more intense a person's subjective experience, the larger the reduction in amygdala response to fearful faces specifically.