Woman with Alzheimer's sees major improvements after taking magic mushrooms

An 80-year-old woman with advanced Alzheimer's showed unexpected results after taking psilocybin mushrooms or "magic mushrooms". This, however, doesn't mean the disease can be reversed. It only opens doors for future dementia research.

In Short

• The patient had severe dementia, minimal speech and needed daily assistance
• After a dose of psilocybin, she had sweating and prolonged sleep-like state
• Nearly 19 hours later, she began recalling personal memories spontaneously

An 80-year-old woman with advanced Alzheimer's disease showed unexpected improvements in speech, mobility, memory and daily functioning after receiving a high dose of psilocybin-containing mushrooms, according to a case study published in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience.

Researchers from Brazil stressed that the findings do not mean Alzheimer's disease was reversed.

However, they say the case raises questions about whether some brain functions remain hidden in people with severe dementia and could potentially be temporarily reactivated under certain conditions.

A DECADE OF DECLINE

The patient, a Japanese-American woman in her 80s, had been living with Alzheimer's disease for around 10 years. During the previous five years, her condition had worsened extensively.

She could usually speak only in single words, had chronic urinary incontinence, difficulty swallowing, reduced mobility, emotional flatness, and needed help with most daily activities.

She also showed very little spontaneous communication or social interaction.

According to the researchers, her condition represented advanced-stage Alzheimer's disease, a stage in which meaningful recovery is highly unlikely.

WHAT TREATMENT DID SHE RECEIVE?

The woman was given 5 grams of psilocybin-containing mushrooms of the Enigma strain.

Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain mushrooms, also known as "magic mushrooms".

It affects communication between different brain networks and is currently being studied for conditions such as depression, anxiety and addiction.

WHAT DID THE WOMAN EXPERIENCE?

Soon after taking the mushrooms, the patient experienced intense physical reactions, including heavy sweating, signs of possible fever and a prolonged sleep-like state.

Researchers reported that approximately 19 hours after receiving the dose, something unusual happened.

The woman began speaking spontaneously about personal memories from her life.

IMPROVEMENTS SEEN OVER WEEKS

After the days and weeks that followed, family members and caregivers observed improvements across several areas.

She regained urinary continence (control over peeing) after more than five years of incontinence.

She was able to walk better, dress herself more independently and showed greater emotional responsiveness.

They also saw increased social engagement, more frequent conversations, retrieval of past personal memories and improved ability to remember social context during interactions.

The 80-year-old woman reportedly expressed positive feelings about the experience and became more emotionally expressive than before.

One of the most striking observations was the return of bladder control.

The authors noted that continence depends on multiple brain systems working together, including those involved in awareness, decision-making and executive function.

HOW COULD PSILOCYBIN AFFECT THE BRAIN?

Scientists do not fully understand why these changes occurred.

Previous studies have shown that psilocybin can temporarily reorganise large-scale brain networks, increasing communication between regions that do not normally interact closely.

Research has also suggested that the drug promotes neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to form and reorganise connections.

The Brazilian researchers assume that psilocybin may have temporarily helped reconnect remaining brain networks that were still functioning despite years of neurodegeneration (because of dementia).

The study suggests that certain abilities may remain in the brain despite advanced Alzheimer's, but are not normally accessible.

THERE ARE LIMITATIONS

The researchers caution that the findings should be interpreted carefully.

The report describes only one patient, meaning it cannot prove that psilocybin caused the improvements.

Other factors, including natural fluctuations in symptoms, cannot be completely ruled out.

The patient also did not undergo advanced brain scans, biomarker testing or standardised cognitive assessments. Because of this, researchers cannot definitively confirm the exact biological mechanisms involved.

Importantly, the improvements observed do not represent a cure or reversal of Alzheimer's disease.

"This case should be viewed as an observation that generates hypotheses for future research," the authors wrote.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

While interest in psychedelic therapies has grown rapidly in recent years, very little research has examined their effects in people with advanced dementia.

The authors say larger, controlled clinical studies are needed to see whether psilocybin can safely produce similar effects in other patients with Alzheimer's disease.

- Ends