The Effectiveness of Microdosed Psilocybin in the Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Lyme Disease: A Case Study.

Lyme disease can cause severe, treatment-resistant neuropsychiatric symptoms through autoimmune-driven neuroinflammation. A man with serologically confirmed neuropsychiatric Lyme disease who could not tolerate antimicrobial or psychiatric medications experienced symptom remission after starting microdosed (sub-hallucinogenic) psilocybin. A literature review suggests psilocybin's serotonergic and anti-inflammatory properties may benefit mental illness stemming from autoimmune inflammation. Further research on microdosed psilocybin for neuropsychiatric Lyme disease and autoimmune encephalopathies is warranted.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Lyme disease can result in severe neuropsychiatric symptoms that may be resistant to treatment. The pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric Lyme disease is associated with autoimmune induced neuroinflammation. This case report describes an immunocompetent male with serologically positive neuropsychiatric Lyme disease who did not tolerate antimicrobial or psychotropic medications and whose symptoms remitted when he began psilocybin in microdosed (sub-hallucinogenic) amounts. A literature review of its therapeutic benefits reveals that psilocybin is both serotonergic and anti-inflammatory and therefore may offer significant therapeutic benefits to patients with mental illness secondary to autoimmune inflammation. The role of microdosed psilocybin in the treatment of neuropsychiatric Lyme disease and autoimmune encephalopathies warrants further study.