Do classic psychedelics increase the risk of seizures? A scoping review.
Óscar Soto-angona, Adriana Fortea, Lydia Fortea, María Martínez-ramírez, Estevo Santamarina, Francisco José Gil López, Gite Moos Knudsen, Genís Ona
European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology August 1, 2024 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2024.05.002 via PubMed
Summary
Psychedelics may not increase the risk of seizures in healthy individuals or animals when used alone, based on a review of 16 human and 11 animal studies. However, the presence of other substances, like kambo or lithium, could heighten seizure risk. The findings are heterogeneous and drawn from data that lacks sufficient external validity, indicating that caution is needed in interpretation.
Study at a glance
| Design | scoping review |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 27 |
| Population | publications on humans and animals regarding psychedelics and seizures |
| Key finding | Psychedelics may not increase the risk of seizures in healthy individuals or animals in the absence of other drugs. |
Abstract
Seizures are a concerning adverse event frequently associated with the use of psychedelics, and hence, studies involving these substances tend to exclude patients with past history of epilepsy. This is especially relevant because epileptic seizures are markedly increased in the population suffering from mental disorders, and psychedelic assisted therapy is being researched as a promising treatment for several of them. To determine the extent of the current literature on the relationship between classic psychedelics and seizures, a scoping review was performed using the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews). The search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Google scholar, LILACS and Scielo, and both animal and human models were included. A total of 16 publications on humans, and 11 on animals, were found. The results are heterogeneous, but globally suggest that psychedelics may not increase the risk of seizures in healthy individuals or animals in the absence of other drugs. However, concomitant use of other substances or drugs, such as kambo or lithium, could increase the risk of seizures. Additionally, these conclusions are drawn from data lacking sufficient external validity, so they should be interpreted with caution. Future paths for research and a summary on possible neurobiological underpinnings that might clarify the relationship between classical psychedelics and seizures are also provided.