Pain and Perception: Exploring Psychedelics as Novel Therapeutic Agents in Chronic Pain Management.
Natalie H Strand, Madeline Whitney, Brooks Johnson, Tyler Dunn, Sumedha Attanti, Jillian Maloney, Lopa Misra, Diego Gomez, Omar Viswanath, Eric Emami, James Leathem
Current pain and headache reports January 7, 2025 DOI: 10.1007/s11916-024-01353-0 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractChronic pain affects about 1.5 billion people worldwide and is a leading cause of disability. Conventional treatments like opioids and NSAIDs often cause adverse effects and limited long-term relief. This review examines psychedelics—psilocybin, LSD, and ketamine—as alternative therapies. These substances modulate pain through serotonergic and glutamatergic systems and may promote neuroplasticity. The review covers their pharmacologic actions, effects on cancer pain, migraines, and neuropathic pain, and clinical implications, highlighting the need for further research to validate efficacy and optimize use.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Psilocybin LSD Ketamine |
| Topics | Ketamine Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Analgesic effects Chronic pain Cluster headaches Neuropathic pain |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key finding | Psychedelics like psilocybin, LSD, and ketamine show potential as alternative therapeutic agents for chronic pain management by modulating pain perception through serotonergic and glutamatergic systems and promoting neuroplasticity. |
Abstract
Chronic pain affects approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide, representing the leading cause of disability and a significant financial burden on healthcare systems. Conventional treatments, such as opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are frequently linked to adverse effects, including dependency and gastrointestinal issues, and often offer limited long-term relief. This review explores the potential of psychedelics, including psilocybin, LSD, and ketamine, as alternative therapeutic agents in chronic pain management. These substances modulate pain perception through actions on serotonergic and glutamatergic systems and may promote neuroplasticity, offering novel pathways for pain relief. Specifically, the review details the pharmacologic actions of psychedelics, their effects on chronic pain syndromes such as cancer pain, migraines, and neuropathic pain, and their clinical implications. The safety profiles, patient responses, and analgesic properties of these compounds are examined, highlighting the need for further research to validate their efficacy and optimize their therapeutic use in pain management.