Researchers found psilocybin reduced nerve pain symptoms in mice for weeks.
Researchers at the University of Reading say a compound found in psychedelic mushrooms, also known as psilocybin, may help treat nerve pain while also improving how well some pain medicines work. These findings come from a new study involving mice with nerve injuries that caused ongoing pain symptoms. Scientists gave mice a single dose of the compound and then monitored how they responded over time. According to the research, pain relief began roughly two hours after treatment and lasted for several weeks.
Researchers said the findings were surprising because the drug itself leaves the body much sooner than the pain relief lasted. Scientists believe the compound may change how the brain handles pain signals instead of simply blocking them for a short period of time. The research team said this change in brain activity could explain why the effects continued long after the treatment wore off.
The study was published in the journal Communications Biology. Researchers tested the compound on mice with damaged nerves, a condition often linked to severe burning, tingling, or stabbing pain. Nerve pain can be very difficult to treat and may continue for years in some patients.
One of the most talked-about findings involved gabapentin, a medicine commonly prescribed for nerve pain. Doctors often use the drug to treat conditions linked to damaged nerves, but many patients report only limited relief. Researchers involved in the new study found that mice previously treated with psilocybin later responded much better to gabapentin.
In the experiment, scientists waited until the original pain-relieving effect from psilocybin had faded before giving the mice gabapentin. Even then, the medicine appeared to work better in animals that had received psilocybin earlier. Researchers said the pain relief lasted as long as four days in those mice, while animals that never received psilocybin saw much weaker results from gabapentin alone.
The findings may matter because many people living with nerve pain struggle to control symptoms with current medications. Experts estimate that between 30% and 50% of patients do not get enough relief from gabapentin by itself. Some pain medicines can also bring unwanted side effects or lead to dependency problems over time.
The study also included both male and female mice. That detail was considered important because earlier pain studies often focused mainly on male animals. Scientists said the compound showed similar pain-relieving effects in both groups.
Even with the encouraging results, scientists said much more work is needed before psilocybin could become a treatment for people with chronic nerve pain. The study only involved mice, and treatments that work in animals do not always produce the same results in humans. Clinical trials involving human patients would still be needed to test safety, dosing, and long-term effects.
Interest in psychedelic compounds has grown in recent years as researchers continue studying their possible medical uses. Scientists have already explored whether psilocybin could help people dealing with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and addiction. Researchers say the findings in this study may open the door to future treatments that combine psychedelic compounds with standard pain medicines.
Sources:
Psilocybin may provide long-lasting relief from chronic nerve pain
Psilocybin Resets Brain Pain Networks and Boosts Painkillers
Join the conversation!