The Potential of Psychedelics for the Treatment of Episodic Migraine.
Current pain and headache reports – September 01, 2023
Source: PubMed
Summary
Promising breakthrough: A single low dose of psilocybin, the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms, reduced both migraine frequency and pain intensity for two weeks in patients with episodic headaches. The treatment showed both immediate relief and lasting benefits, offering hope for millions who suffer from debilitating migraines. The findings suggest psychedelics could revolutionize migraine care.
Abstract
This review presents the existing literature of and a framework for how psychedelic drugs might be applied as therapeutic agents in episodic migraine. The therapeutic effects of psychedelics in headache disorders have been reported for decades and controlled investigations are now beginning. In the first and only clinical trial of a psychedelic drug in migraine, the single administration of low-dose psilocybin reduced weekly migraine days and pain intensity for the following 2 weeks in episodic subjects. These transitional effects, along with abortive effects in two subjects and additional findings in cluster headache, offer insight into the potential medicinal use of this and other psychedelic drugs in episodic migraine. The existing evidence supports the continued investigation of psilocybin and other psychedelics as transitional treatments in episodic migraine. Acute and preventive effects also exist, but the risks may outweigh benefits with these applications. Future research of psychedelics in episodic migraine should be tailored for this condition and not modeled after protocols used in other medical or psychiatric conditions.