The Effect of Psilocybin and Aerobic Exercise on the Gene Expression of PARP and Dopamine 5 Receptor in Heart Tissue of Female Rats Addicted to Methamphetamine

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aerobic training and Psilocybin supplementation on the expression of poly Adenosine diphosphate ribose polymerase (PARP) and dopamine receptor 5 (D5R) gene in heart tissue of methamphetamine-addicted rats.

The present research was conducted experimentally with a post-test design with a control group. 30 female Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups including healthy control; methamphetamine; Methamphetamine + aerobic activity; Methamphetamine + Psilocybin; Methamphetamine + aerobic activity + Psilocybin. Intraperitoneal injection of methamphetamine and Psilocybin was 10 and 0.02 mg/kg, respectively. The interventions of Psilocybin consumption and aerobic exercises were implemented for 4 weeks during the withdrawal period. Real-Time PCR method was used to measure gene expression in heart tissue. The Independent T, Man Whitney, and Kruskal Wallis statistical tests were used for data analysis.

Methamphetamine use caused a non-significant (20%) increase in the expression of the D5R gene compared to the control group, but could not cause a significant change in the expression of the PARP gene. The use of the Psilocybin supplement and its combination with aerobic exercise produced a decreasing but insignificant effect on PARP and D5R gene expression in the heart tissue of female rats addicted to methamphetamine.

Short-term induction of methamphetamine may not cause significant changes in the expression of PARP and D5R genes in the heart. Psilocybin supplement and its combination with aerobic exercise in the withdrawal period, even though it caused insignificant reduction effects in the expression of these genes, but the exact expression of gene changes requires further investigations.