Nature Medicine
July 24, 2023
Samantha Shao, Tessa Gruen, Alexandra Babakanian et al.
150 citations
A single 25-mg dose of synthetic psilocybin combined with psychological support was safe, tolerable, and acceptable for 10 adult women with anorexia nervosa or partial remission. No clinically significant changes occurred in electrocardiogram, vital signs, or suicidality. Two participants developed asymptomatic hypoglycemia that resolved within 24 hours. All adverse events were mild and transient. The findings suggest psilocybin therapy may be a promising treatment for female anorexia nervosa, a condition with no FDA-approved medications and high physiological risks.
Pain
September 5, 2022
Matthew Lyes, Joel Castellanos, Timothy Furnish et al.
55 citations
Three individuals with chronic neuropathic pain, unresponsive to standard treatments and impairing quality of life, self-administered low doses of psilocybin. Despite differences in pain origin and preparation potency, all three achieved substantial pain relief without experiencing a psychedelic state or significant side effects. The analgesic effect was enhanced when combined with functional exercise, and in one case, repeated dosing appeared to increase relief, hinting at a possible long-term plasticity-mediated effect. The patients also reduced their reliance on conventional pain medications. These observations suggest psilocybin's therapeutic potential for chronic pain deserves further study.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
June 10, 2024
Eric C. Leas, Nora Satybaldiyeva, Wayne Kepner et al.
10 citations
Use of psilocybin-containing mushrooms among U.S. adults rose from 11.4% in 2021 to 12.3% in 2022, making them the most commonly used hallucinogenic substance. This growing interest has spurred a commercial market for other mushrooms, including Amanita muscaria, which contains the psychoactive compounds muscimol and ibotenic acid.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 3, 2025
Wayne Kepner, Patricia Dionicio, Katie Bailey et al.
3 citations
About 1 in 20 Asian American and Pacific Islander adults (5.1%) have used ecstasy/MDMA in their lifetime, based on a nationally representative sample from 2015-2020. Females had higher odds of use than males, and adults aged 26-34 had higher odds than those aged 18-25, while those aged 50 or older had lower odds. Lifetime use of other substances—cannabis, ketamine, LSD, cocaine, psilocybin, prescription opioids, and prescription stimulants—was associated with increased odds of ecstasy/MDMA use. Variations by age, sex, family income, substance type, and mental health service use point to the need for targeted public health strategies.
FOCUS The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry
July 1, 2024
Samantha Shao, Tessa Gruen, Alexandra Babakanian et al.
2 citations
A single 25-mg dose of synthetic psilocybin, given with psychological support, was safe and tolerable for 10 adult women with anorexia nervosa. No clinically significant changes occurred in heart health, vital signs, or suicidality. Two participants had temporary low blood sugar that resolved within a day. All side effects were mild and short-lived. Participants' reports indicated the treatment was acceptable. These results suggest psilocybin therapy may be a safe approach for female anorexia, a condition with no approved medications and high medical risk.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
May 18, 2026
Kevin H. Yang, Miranda Rasmussen, Kush Bhatt et al.
1 citation
Lifetime use of hallucinogens (LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, ketamine, or PCP) is associated with a modest increase in the odds of valvular heart disease after accounting for sociodemographic factors and other health conditions. In a large US adult sample, 13.2% reported lifetime hallucinogen use. The unadjusted prevalence of VHD was lower among users (3.6%) than non-users (4.7%), but after adjustment the odds rose slightly (adjusted odds ratio 1.08). The authors call for longitudinal studies to confirm this exploratory finding.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
May 4, 2026
Kevin H. Yang, Nora Satybaldiyeva, Wayne Kepner et al.
1 citation
Cannabis is the most commonly microdosed substance among U.S. adults, with 9.4% (24.1 million) reporting lifetime use, followed by psilocybin (5.3%, 13.7 million), LSD (4.8%, 12.4 million), and MDMA (2.2%, 5.7 million). Cannabis is primarily microdosed for medical reasons such as pain management, whereas psilocybin, LSD, and MDMA are more often used recreationally. Lifetime microdosing is more prevalent among people with poorer mental health and those living in jurisdictions with fewer restrictions on cannabis and psychedelics. As policies continue to evolve, the prevalence of microdosing may increase, highlighting the need for ongoing surveillance.
Am J Psychiatry
April 22, 2026
Kevin H. Yang, Avery Eun, Joseph J. Palamar
In a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults, past-year psilocybin use was reported by a small but notable percentage of respondents. The study describes the characteristics of those who used psilocybin, including demographic and other substance use correlates. The findings suggest that psilocybin use is associated with certain demographic factors and patterns of other drug use, though the analysis is descriptive and does not establish causation.