A systematic review to assess the use of psilocybin in the treatment of headaches
European Psychiatry March 1, 2023 Saundarai Bhanot, Michelle Cq Lin, S. Bains et al. 3 citations
Psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic compound, shows promise for treating various headaches, including migraines and cluster headaches. A systematic review of eight studies found that psilocybin use was associated with improvements in headache frequency, intensity, duration, and remission periods, with clinically significant improvements reported in six studies and statistically significant results in three. Macrodosing provided greater pain relief than microdosing or conventional medications, with 12.3% more participants experiencing pain reduction three days after a macrodose. However, side effects included hallucinations in 18% of essential headache patients and temporary increases in anxiety and pain (5.3% with microdosing, 14.1% with macrodosing). Psilocybin remains illegal in many countries, limiting further research.