Département de psychiatrie d'urgence et de soins post-aigus, Centre hospitalo-universitaire de Montpellier, IGF, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, Inserm, Montpellier, France.
2 papers in the library · 35 citations · publishing 2021-2025
Current interventions for people at risk of suicide have limited efficacy. This review examines whether psilocybin, a psychedelic compound with a long history of human use, could modulate thoughts and behavioral patterns in individuals at risk of suicidal behaviors. The authors summarize evidence that psilocybin directly stimulates the serotonin 2A receptor (5HT2A), targeting inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways, which may lead to rapid increases in brain plasticity, cognitive flexibility, spirituality, and empathy, while suppressing inflammation. Preliminary epidemiological data are presented, and the review calls for clinical studies to test psilocybin in individuals with suicidal ideation or at risk of suicidal behaviors.
Suicidal thoughts and behaviors form a distinct dimension that cuts across psychiatric diagnoses, supported by genetic, biomarker, and preclinical evidence. Key endophenotypes include impulsivity, anhedonia, and hopelessness, with emerging mechanisms in inflammation, stress response, serotonin function, and neuroplasticity. Treatments like lithium and ketamine target these pathways. The French Minds cohort within the PEPR PROPSY project will use multimodal approaches to identify biological signatures and trajectories of this dimension.