Psilocybin Shows Promiseโ for Pain and Mental Health, Targeting Brain Circuits Directly
Philadelphia, PA – A new study from the Perelman โฃSchool of Medicine at the University of โคPennsylvania,โ published in Nature Neuroscience, reveals how psilocybin -โข the activeโ component โof psychedelic mushrooms – impacts specific brain circuits, perhaps opening doors to innovative treatments for chronic pain, depression, and anxiety.
Chronic pain affects over 1.5 billion people globally and frequently co-occurs withโ mood disorders, creating a debilitating cycle. โResearchers have discovered โฃthat a single dose of psilocybin can reduce both pain and associated anxiety and depression-like behaviorsโข in mice with chronicโ pain, with effects โขlasting upโ to two weeks.
“We often โsee patients struggling with both chronic pain and depression, unsure which came first, but knowing one exacerbates the other,” โexplains Dr.Joseph Cichon, senior author of โthe study and an assistant professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at Penn. “This research offers hope for developing new, โnon-opioid, and non-addictive therapies, โฃasโข psilocybin is not considered addictive.”
The study โpinpointed the anterior cingulate โcortex (ACC) -โ aโฃ brainโ region โคinvolved in processing โpain and emotions – as aโข key target. Injecting psilocin โ(the form psilocybin converts to in the body) directly into the ACC replicated the pain relief and mood improvements seen with whole-body psilocybin administration. interestingly, injecting psilocin into the spinal cord did not produce the same effects, suggesting psilocybin works by modulating brain circuits ratherโ than directly addressing the source of the pain.
Dr. โcichon describes psilocybin’s action as a “dimmer switch” for serotonin receptors (5-HT2A and 5-HT1A), gently adjusting brain signals rather than simplyโ turning them on or off.
While thes findings are encouraging, researchers emphasize the need for further inquiry. โ Future studies will focus on optimal dosing, long-term effects, and the โbrain’s ability to sustain these benefits. The team also plans to explore the potential of psilocybin for other conditions linked to dysregulated brain circuits,โ such as addiction and PTSD.
“We don’t yet know how long psilocybin’sโข effects last or if multiple dosesโฃ are needed โคfor lasting relief,” notesโข Stephen Wisser, a co-author and PhD student.”Andโข while promising, we need to determine the safetyโค and effectiveness of psilocybin-basedโข therapies, particularly inโฃ the context of โprocedures โขlike surgery.”
This research was supported โฃby โthe National Institutes of Health (R35GM151160-01)โ andโ the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine.