Erin Mauney: Psychedelics as modulators of the gut-brain interaction

Summary

Dr. Erin E. Mauney's work investigates how psilocybin affects interoception in patients with treatment-resistant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), marking a pioneering study in gastroenterology. She discusses the impact of early-life trauma on physical health and suggests that psychedelic-assisted therapy can facilitate emotional release and improve function. Her research aims to bridge the gap between mental and physical health, offering new therapeutic options for patients who do not respond to standard treatments.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Dr. Erin E. Mauney serves as Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Gastroenterology) at Tufts University while maintaining a research appointment at Massachusetts General Hospital. With dual board certification, including obesity medicine, she integrates clinical expertise with innovative research at the intersection of gut-brain disorders and psychedelic medicine. Dr. Mauney's groundbreaking work explores how psilocybin modulates interoception in treatment-resistant IBS, the first study of its kind in gastroenterology. In this Genomic Press Interview, she articulates how early-life trauma becomes somatically encoded and how psychedelic-assisted therapy creates pathways for emotional release and functional improvement. Her patient-centered approach combines neuroimaging, qualitative analysis, and clinical outcomes to develop scalable therapeutic options that challenge the artificial mind-body divide in contemporary medicine. Dr. Mauney's research represents a paradigm shift in understanding how psychedelics may transform treatment for the significant population of patients who remain unresponsive to conventional therapies.