Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
February 10, 2026
Chiranth Bhagavan, Olivia P. Carter, Alexander Bryson et al.
1 citation
Functional disorders, where symptoms lack an organic explanation, are difficult to treat with existing therapies. This review of 55 studies found that classic psychedelics, particularly LSD in older studies and psilocybin in newer trials, show potential for treating these conditions. 60.7% of studies reported improvement, primarily for functional neurological symptoms. However, the evidence is limited by mostly observational designs, few control groups, and a lack of long-term data. Adverse events included acute psychological and physical effects, and transient worsening of functional symptoms. Future research needs standardized protocols and better safety assessments.
medRxiv
December 23, 2025
Chiranth Bhagavan, O. Carter, Glenn Nielsen et al.
1 citation
Movement tasks such as walking, reaching, and dexterity tests were feasible for healthy volunteers who took psilocybin doses up to 15 mg. At 20 mg, impairments appeared in tasks that combined movement with cognitive demands, such as the Box and Block Test and Digit Symbol Substitution Test. Nausea (62% of participants) and headache (54%) were the most common adverse events; no serious adverse events occurred. Participants and physiotherapists guessed the dose correctly only about half the time, indicating adequate blinding. These results suggest that psilocybin-assisted physical rehabilitation may be safe and feasible for future trials in people with movement disorders.
medRxiv Preprint Server
April 17, 2026
Chiranth Bhagavan, Orwa Dandash, Olivia Carter et al.
preprint
Psilocybin, a classic psychedelic, acutely alters brain functional connectivity, and these changes are linked to therapeutic doses and subjective effects. Some evidence indicates that such changes persist beyond the acute drug administration period. However, the effects of lower doses on sustained connectivity changes remain unclear.