Brazil Case Report Gives 80s Alzheimer’s Patient 5 Grams of Psilocybin, Claims Temporary Gains
Updated
Updated · Futurism · Jun 19
Brazil Case Report Gives 80s Alzheimer’s Patient 5 Grams of Psilocybin, Claims Temporary Gains
3 articles · Updated · Futurism · Jun 19
Summary
Five grams of psilocybin-containing mushrooms were given to a woman in her 80s with 10 years of Alzheimer’s, and researchers reported days-to-weeks improvements in continence, mobility, speech, social interaction and memory.
A second 3-gram dose followed a month later after what the authors called clinically meaningful benefits, though the patient also spent hours sweating in a deep sleep-like state after the first dose.
The report was exploratory and observational, not a controlled trial: it involved one patient, lacked biomarker confirmation, standardized cognitive testing and a control group, and relied heavily on caregiver and family observations.
Lead author Marcos Lago said the improvements were transient and the paper does not show disease reversal or establish psilocybin as a dementia treatment.
The case adds to interest in psilocybin’s effects on brain networks and inflammation, but outside experts said whether those mechanisms help Alzheimer’s patients remains unknown.