The effects of psilocybin on perceptual processing: a 7T fMRI study

In this study we investigate the effects of low to moderate doses of psilocybin on perceptual processing in healthy volunteers. The aim of this project is to unravel the basic neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the perceptual changes that people report in response to psilocybin. Using high-field 7T fMRI combined with psychophysical paradigms and self-report measures, we will assess how psilocybin impacts response properties of visual areas, task performance and subjective experience.

This research is conducted in collaboration with the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience at the Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging in Amsterdam and involves both a screening (2-3 hours) and three experimental sessions (6 hours each). In all four sessions, participants undergo fMRI scanning (90 minutes each) and complete behavioural tasks alongside a set of questionnaires.

For participation in this study, we apply the following eligibility criteria:

• inclusion (you need to meet these criteria for participation) you must have had at least one prior experience with any of these: psilocybin, LSD, mescaline, DMT, ayahuasca
• you are between 21 and 55 years old
• normal or corrected-to-normal vision

exclusion (if any of these applies to you, you can’t participate)

• personal history of psychiatric disorders (including, but not limited to: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder)
• first-degree relative with history of psychiatric disorders (including, but not limited to: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder)
• personal history of neurological disorders (including, but not limited to: stroke, convulsion, epilepsy) as well as concussion with loss of consciousness
• a diagnosis of autism or ADHD
• drug or alcohol dependence
• significant previous adverse response to a psychotropic substance (for example hospitalization, panic attacks)
• contraindications for MRI scanning: claustrophobia, metal implants, braces, pacemaker, etc
• significant previous adverse response to fMRI scanning

In addition, you need to be able to travel to Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC (Meibergdreef 75, 1105 BK Amsterdam) four times for one screening (2-3 hours) and three experimental sessions (6 hours).