Project Overview
As humans, we are constantly making decisions, and those decisions are heavily influenced by how our environment shapes our thought and behavioral patterns. This process – the ability to adapt your behavioural strategy in the face of changing environmental conditions – is often referred to as cognitive flexibility. In ideal conditions, cognitive flexibility allows us to adapt our behavior in optimal ways.
However, impairments in cognitive flexibility (e.g., cognitive rigidity) can drive inflexible thought and behavioral patterns that are evident across many psychiatric conditions and. A greater mechanistic understanding of cognitive flexibility and how it is shaped by our environment can provide a foundation for therapeutic interventions that promote flexible over rigid thought and behavioural patterns.
We will conduct two separate studies in healthy adults to explore how external factors influence cognitive flexibility. First, we will determine the impact of a highly prevalent environmental challenge – acute stress – on flexible behavior, exploring both immediate and sustained effects of stress on cognitive flexibility. The second study will investigate the impact of the psychedelic drug psilocybin, the primary psychoactive compound in ‘magic mushrooms’. There are many ongoing clinical trials usingpsilocybin to promote flexible thought and behavioral patterns in populations with chronic stress histories (e.g., major depression), though the mechanisms driving these effects have yet to be established. Here, we will quantify the acute and sustained effects of psilocybin on flexible behavior in healthy humans.
Across these studies, we will explore multiple facets of cognitive flexibility to determine the specific or broad effects of these interventions. We will leverage advanced computational methods to explore behavioral states and semantic thought patterns. These approaches will allow us to build a translational bridge between animal models and clinical intervention, providing new insights into mechanisms of adaptive behavior and highlighting therapeutic opportunities.
Partners & Donors
Azrieli Foundation
