Research+Involving+Psilocybin+Mushrooms

== Recent studies conducted at John Hopkins University School of Medicine has shown that a single dose of hallucinogenic psilocybin (which is the active ingredient in magic mushrooms), can have a lasting effect on ones personality. ==

== The university conducted a study with 51 participants, who completed two to five eight hour drug sessions. The consecutive sessions were separated by three weeks. The participants were all told they would receive a moderate to high dose of psilocybin during just one of these drug sessions, but neither the participant, nor the session monitor would know when. ==

== When researchers observed the results of these drug sessions. they saw that there were significant personality changes in nearly 60% of the 51 participants. Their personalities were assessed at screenings, one to two months after their first drug session, 14 months after their first drug session and about 14 months after the last drug session that they took part in. ==

== The study leader Roland R. Griffiths, ( a professor of behavioral sciences at the John Hopkins University), observed that the participants showed change in the part of the personality that is referred to as "openness." The openness of an individual refers to traits that relate to feelings, imagination, aesthetics and general broad mindedness. The changes in these traits were measured on a scientifically validated personality inventory. The inventory covers the concept of openness, neuroticism, extroversion, how agreeable a person is, and conscientiousness. ==

==Although all of these areas were viewed under the study, it was only the "openness" of the participant that showed significant changes during the course of the study. Griffith said that the personality changes that were most likely permanent for the individual, because were still seen in the individuals personality over a year after taking the psylocibin dose.==

== Although it cannot be proven that changes or findings here may be generalized and applied to the whole population, there could be many applications for this that we can't imagine or understand at this point and is definitely worth further systematic study. ==