A new study published in the journal, Aging, found that psilocybin has the potential to significantly delay cellular aging and extended lifespan.  

In a preclinical study, researchers observed a 50% increase in the lifespan of human skin and lung cells, and a 30% increase in survival in aged mice treated with psilocybin.

The compound appeared to reduce oxidative stress, preserve telomeres (protective caps at the ends of chromosomes), and improve DNA repair, which are all key to slowing aging. These findings suggest psilocybin may one day enhance not just lifespan but also quality of life in aging populations. Check it out: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41514-025-00244-x

Researchers from Northwestern Medicine announced that they detected a common, but typically harmless virus, in the brains of Parkinson’s patients. 

The virus, which is called the Human Pegivirus (HPgV), belongs to the same family as hepatitis C and is a blood-borne virus.

According to Dr. Igor Koralnik, the lead author of this study, HPgV is a common, symptomless infection previously not known to frequently infect the brain. 

“We were surprised to find it in the brains of Parkinson’s patients at such high frequency and not in the controls. Even more unexpected was how the immune system responded differently, depending on a person’s genetics. This suggests it could be an environmental factor that interacts with the body in ways we didn’t realize before. For a virus that was thought to be harmless, these findings suggest it may have important effects, in the context of Parkinson’s disease. It may influence how Parkinson’s develops, especially in people with certain genetic backgrounds.”

You can read the details of the study here: https://insight.jci.org/articles/view/189988

The largest review of antidepressant withdrawal studies was published in JAMA Psychiatry. It indicates that most people don’t experience severe symptoms when stopping these medications. 

Analyzing data from nearly 18,000 participants, researchers found the most common withdrawal symptoms were mild, including dizziness, nausea, and nervousness.

Turns out, stopping antidepressants did not lead to depression relapse, which underscores the theory that depressive symptoms may reflect illness rather than withdrawal. These findings aim to reassure patients and guide clinicians on managing discontinuation safely. This is of particular interest today, as more and more patients are seeking alternative psychedelic treatments that researchers believe could be more successful in the absence of traditional antidepressants.   Here’s more: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2836262

Did you know that artificial light at night disrupts more than sleep?

According to researchers, artificial light at night affects immune function, metabolism, mood, and brain health. Essentially, circadian rhythms, which have been finely tuned over millions of years, regulate critical biological processes that can be thrown off by modern lighting. 

Clinical trials are now underway, examining whether blocking disruptive light effects can improve outcomes for intensive care patients. Two major trials focus on stroke recovery and cardiac surgery patients, which represent populations particularly vulnerable to the harsh lighting conditions typical of hospital ICUs. Check it out: https://genomicpress.kglmeridian.com/view/journals/brainmed/aop/article-10.61373-bm025k.0083/article-10.61373-bm025k.0083.xml