Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA. Electronic address: zcordner@mindworkgroup.com.
2 papers in the library · 18 citations · publishing 2023-2024
Interest in psilocybin's therapeutic potential is growing rapidly, but basic and translational studies remain scarce. A systematic search found 57 articles on psilocybin in rodent models. The review identifies four research areas: pharmacology, toxicity, effects on disease models, and molecular mechanisms, with pharmacology dominating. Despite the small literature, several conclusions and priorities for future work emerge.
A single dose of psilocybin increased body weight in both male and female mice during the days immediately after treatment, without affecting how much they ate or drank. The weight gain was accompanied by increased lean and water mass in males, with a similar trend in females. Blocking the 5-HT2A/2C receptor with ketanserin did not prevent this effect. Blood tests showed elevated creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase, and chloride in treated mice. These results begin to clarify how psilocybin may influence body weight and metabolism, which is important for its safe use in clinical and non-clinical settings.