A new study led by researchers from Canada and the United States has found that psilocybin — the psychoactive compound in "magic mushrooms" — may help the brain recover from repeated mild head injuries. Conducted in middle-aged female rats, the research showed that doses given shortly after each injury reduced fluid leakage in the brain, partially restored blood vessel regulation, lowered levels of a protein linked to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and boosted molecules that support cell survival and repair. The findings are preliminary and do not yet support human use, but they are significant given that there are currently no approved drugs to treat the underlying brain damage caused by concussions, leaving patients with little beyond rest and symptom management.