Single high dose of psilocybin temporarily restores lost abilities in an 80-year-old Alzheimer's patient (opens in new tab)

Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychoactive compound found in mushrooms of the Psilocybe genus. These mushrooms may have existed on Earth for nearly 65 million years, dating to the asteroid impact that caused the dinosaurs' extinction. While Mesoamerican civilizations have used them for at least 3,000 years for therapeutic benefits, scientists have only recently begun investigating psilocybin and realizing its potential as a treatment for neurodegenerative and other brain-related disorders.