Psilocybin, the principal psychedelic ingredient of hallucinogenic mushrooms, has received significant attention as a scientific research tool due to its potential therapeutic effects. Psychedelic research was prolific during the 1960s but ceased with the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. This act placed serotonergic psychedelics, such as psilocybin and LSD, into schedule I of the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s list of controlled substances. However, human psychedelic research resurfaced in the 1990s and has been growing ever since. This article will examine psilocybin with its properties and potential for treating illnesses, such as chronic pain.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is crucial to maintaining central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis. Through a combination of physical and molecular barrier properties, and a number of highly specific transporters that exercise fine control over the movement of nutrients from blood vessels into the CNS or waste products back out into the bloodstream, the blood-brain barrier keeps tight regulation of everything going in and out of the CNS (Daneman & Prat, 2015). While this is useful for protecting the CNS from toxins and pathogens, this presents a unique challenge for non-invasive delivery of therapeutic agents in the treatment of brain cancers.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first reported on December 2019 in Wuhan, China and has become a global pandemic due its worldwide spread. COVID-19 is mainly known for causing respiratory symptoms, however in severe cases, it may also cause neurological harm. Neurological manifestations of COVID-19 affect both the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). One of the symptoms of the coronavirus in the CNS include epilepsy (Azhideh 2020).

As we enter 2021, the novel coronavirus (CoV) disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains a threat to global health and economies. Since the beginning of the pandemic, one of the most striking changes to daily life has been maintaining social distancing and limiting in-person social interactions. Social relationships have long been understood to act as a protective factor against a wide range of health conditions. In the coming years, it may be particularly important that mental health professionals understand how social isolation impacts brain functioning and psychological well-being.