Lysergic Acid Diethylamide and Psilocybin for the Management of Patients with Persistent Pain: a Potential Role?
Pain Management May 1, 2018 Andy Whelan, Mark I Johnson 51 citations
A review discusses the potential of LSD and psilocybin for treating persistent pain, especially in terminal illness. These substances act on serotonin receptors and may influence pain processing. Tentative evidence from a systematic review suggests LSD (7 studies, 323 participants) and psilocybin (3 studies, 92 participants) may help with depression and anxiety linked to distress in life-threatening diseases. LSD and psilocybin appear generally safe when administered by a healthcare professional, but more research is needed to assess their utility for persistent pain.