RESTORATIVE POTENTIAL OF A <EM>PSILOCYBE CUBENSIS</EM> EXTRACT AGAINST MEMORY DEFICITS FROM INTERMITTENT ADOLESCENT ALCOHOL EXPOSURE IN MICE

Adolescent binge drinking can lead to persistent cognitive deficits, highlighting a need for neuroprotective interventions. Psilocybin, a primary compound in Psilocybe mushrooms, has demonstrated neuroplasticity-promoting and immunomodulatory effects in preclinical models. This study investigates the restorative potential of a Psilocybe cubensis extract (PCE) in a mouse model of intermittent adolescent ethanol exposure, followed by treatment with fluoxetine or minocycline as active comparators. Female C57BL/6 mice (n=5-6/group) received intermittent ethanol (3 g/kg, i.p.) or vehicle during adolescence (PND 30-43). In a subsequent 14-day treatment phase, mice received daily i.p. injections of vehicle, PCE (10 mg/kg), fluoxetine (10 mg/kg), or minocycline (20 mg/kg). Recognition memory was assessed using the Novel Object Recognition Test three days post-treatment, with performance quantified by the discrimination index. Ethanol-exposed mice exhibited a significant memory deficit relative to vehicle controls (p=0.026). Post-exposure treatment with PCE robustly reversed this deficit, restoring performance to control levels (p=0.002 vs. the ethanol group). Fluoxetine and minocycline treatments yielded intermediate, non-significant improvements. These findings suggest that the PCE may substantively reverse alcohol-induced recognition memory deficits, providing a compelling basis for further investigation into its restorative mechanisms. Ongoing work is focused on investigating the underlying mechanisms, specifically its effects on microglial modulation and hippocampal neurogenesis.