What should you listen to while tripping? 5 Questions with auditory neuroscientist Nikolas Francis

Psilocybin amplifies how strongly people and animals can respond to music, and auditory neuroscientist Nikolas Francis connects that effect to what happens in the auditory cortex. Using genetically modified mice, Francis’ lab studies how psilocybin changes neuronal responses to a simple sound stimulus: pure tones. Compared with before dosing, activity increases immediately after psilocybin, then drops about 30 minutes later, with responses becoming quieter and more variable. Neurons keep their selectivity for sound frequency (tonal structure), suggesting a stable “scaffolding” even when overall sensitivity changes. The interview ties those findings to therapy and playlist design. Francis argues clinicians should consider session timing, predictability, pacing, and tonality rather than just genre, because auditory sensitivity varies over time during the experience. He also links auditory cortex signaling to downstream limbic and emotional processing systems, including interactions relevant to chills and interoception.