How do you know if a mouse is on a psychedelic? It might just shake its head. This behavior, known as the head-twitch response, signals whether a molecule is a psychedelic-like hallucinogen. Head twitch is one tool used by pharmaceutical companies racing to develop new mental health drugs. But does a mouse experience an altered state like a human? Do animals have mystical experiences? And what can we really learn about the brain, or even human consciousness, from these unwitting rodent psychonauts?For a transcript of this episode, please visit this <a href="https://psychedelics.berkeley.edu/season-2-episode-7-mice-on-magic-mushrooms/#more-61888">link.</a>Co-produced by PRX and the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics, Altered States is an award-winning podcast, taking home a <a href="https://www.signalaward.com/winners/details/#uc-berkeley-center-for-the-science-of-psychedelics/altered-states/1/600370">2025 Signal Award for Science</a> and the <a href="https://winners.webbyawards.com/winners/podcasts/individual-episode/science-education-ind-episodes?years=0">2026 Webby Award for Science and Education</a>. To learn more, visit us our <a href="https://psychedelics.berkeley.edu/">website.</a>

<description>
 &lt;p&gt;How do you know if a mouse is on a psychedelic? It might just shake its head. This behavior, known as the head-twitch response, signals whether a molecule is a psychedelic-like hallucinogen. Head twitch is one tool used by pharmaceutical companies racing to develop new mental health drugs. But does a mouse experience an altered state like a human? Do animals have mystical experiences? And what can we really learn about the brain, or even human consciousness, from these unwitting rodent psychonauts?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For a transcript of this episode, please visit this &lt;a href="https://psychedelics.berkeley.edu/season-2-episode-7-mice-on-magic-mushrooms/#more-61888"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;link.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Co-produced by PRX and the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics, Altered States is an award-winning podcast, taking home a &lt;a href="https://www.signalaward.com/winners/details/#uc-berkeley-center-for-the-science-of-psychedelics/altered-states/1/600370"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2025 Signal Award for Science&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; and the &lt;a href="https://winners.webbyawards.com/winners/podcasts/individual-episode/science-education-ind-episodes?years=0"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;2026 Webby Award for Science and Education&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. To learn more, visit us our &lt;a href="https://psychedelics.berkeley.edu/"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;website.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
 </description>

What can twitching mice reveal about the human brain?

How do you know if a mouse is on a psychedelic? It might just shake its head. This behavior, known as the head-twitch response, signals whether a molecule is a psychedelic-like hallucinogen. Head twitch is one tool used by pharmaceutical companies racing to develop new mental health drugs. But does a mouse experience an altered state like a human? Do animals have mystical experiences? And what can we really learn about the brain, or even human consciousness, from these unwitting rodent psychonauts?

For a transcript of this episode, please visit this <a href="https://psychedelics.berkeley.edu/season-2-episode-7-mice-on-magic-mushrooms/#more-61888">link.</a>

Co-produced by PRX and the UC Berkeley Center for the Science of Psychedelics, Altered States is an award-winning podcast, taking home a <a href="https://www.signalaward.com/winners/details/#uc-berkeley-center-for-the-science-of-psychedelics/altered-states/1/600370">2025 Signal Award for Science</a> and the <a href="https://winners.webbyawards.com/winners/podcasts/individual-episode/science-education-ind-episodes?years=0">2026 Webby Award for Science and Education</a>. To learn more, visit us our <a href="https://psychedelics.berkeley.edu/">website.</a>

Mice on Magic Mushrooms

Description