Psilocybin treatment extends cellular lifespan and improves survival of aged mice
npj Aging – July 08, 2025
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Psilocybin, a natural hallucinogen, significantly extends cellular lifespan and promotes longevity in aged mice. This exciting finding suggests the compound, known for its therapeutic potential in medicine, may act as a potent geroprotective agent. While the exact pharmacology and molecular mechanisms are still being explored in psychedelics and drug studies, its active metabolite, psilocin, appears key. This research offers new insights into psilocybin's systemic impacts, hinting at its influence on various biological processes, potentially including neurotransmitter receptor activity.
Abstract
Abstract Psilocybin, the naturally occurring psychedelic compound produced by hallucinogenic mushrooms, has received attention due to considerable clinical evidence for its therapeutic potential to treat various psychiatric and neurodegenerative indications. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain enigmatic, and few studies have explored its systemic impacts. We provide the first experimental evidence that psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin) treatment extends cellular lifespan and psilocybin treatment promotes increased longevity in aged mice, suggesting that psilocybin may be a potent geroprotective agent.