Psychedelics and longevity: implications for lifespan, healthspan and functional aging

Summary

Psychedelic compounds like psilocybin and LSD may influence aging by improving healthspan through both biological and psychosocial pathways. These substances can promote neuroplasticity and enhance social connectedness, potentially countering factors that contribute to aging. The narrative review discusses how psychedelic-assisted interventions could affect aging trajectories, while also addressing safety concerns and the need for further research on biomarkers and study designs.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Longevity science has increasingly shifted its focus from extending lifespan to improving healthspan, the years lived in good physical, cognitive, and social health. While much research targets biological hallmarks of aging, emerging frameworks emphasize upstream psychosocial drivers such as chronic stress, trauma, social isolation, and health behavior. In parallel, research on psychedelic compounds (e.g., psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, and ayahuasca) suggests they can produce durable changes in mental health, behavior, and social functioning, with downstream physiological implications. Multiple mechanisms implicated in psychedelic effects, (e.g., enhanced neuroplasticity, modulation of immune and inflammatory signaling, stress-response recalibration, and sustained improvements in psychological well-being and social connectedness), overlap with pathways influencing biological aging. This narrative review examines the convergence of psychedelic research and longevity science, exploring how psychedelic-assisted interventions may influence aging trajectories through both direct biological and indirect psychosocial pathways. We also discuss safety issues and research priorities, including integrating biomarkers, functional outcomes, and longitudinal study designs, and consider whether psychedelic interventions may function as systems-level catalysts for healthier aging.

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