Psychedelic compound found in MAGIC MUSHROOMS 'opens up depressed people's brains' and helps to break the cycle of negative thinking, study suggests

• Psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms 'opens depressed people's brains'
• New research found that it made people less fixed in negative thinking patterns
• Experts say psilocybin may be an alternative approach to depression treatments
• They say it can help brain to break out of rut in way traditional therapies cannot 

By Sam Tonkin For Mailonline

The psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms helps to open up depressed people's brains and stop them getting stuck in a negative pattern of thinking, a new study has suggested.

Researchers said psilocybin – found in the mushrooms – made the brain more flexible, working differently from regular antidepressants, even weeks after use.

It is not the first time the drug has been suggested as a way to tackle depression, but the authors of the latest study believe their findings indicate that it could be a real alternative approach to treatments. 

They said patterns of brain activity in depression can become rigid and restricted, and psilocybin could help the brain to break out of the rut in a way traditional therapies cannot.

However, the experts at Imperial College London cautioned that patients with depression should not attempt to self-medicate with psilocybin. 

The psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms helps to open up depressed people's brains and make them less fixed in negative thinking patterns, a study has suggested (stock)