Lysergic Acid Diethylamide and Psilocybin for the Management of Patients with Persistent Pain: a Potential Role?
Pain Management May 1, 2018 DOI: 10.2217/pmt-2017-0068 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA 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.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Patients with persistent pain, especially pain associated with terminal illness |
| Keywords | Psychedelics Clinical research Chronic pain Mental health Pain management |
| Citations | 51 |
| Key finding | LSD and psilocybin may be beneficial for depression and anxiety in life-threatening diseases, but further investigations are needed to assess their utility for persistent pain. |
Abstract
Recently, there has been interest in lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin for depression, anxiety and fear of death in terminal illness. The aim of this review is to discuss the potential use of LSD and psilocybin for patients with persistent pain. LSD and psilocybin are 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor agonists and may interact with nociceptive and antinociceptive processing. Tentative evidence from a systematic review suggests that LSD (7 studies, 323 participants) and psilocybin (3 studies, 92 participants) may be beneficial for depression and anxiety associated with distress in life-threatening diseases. LSD and psilocybin are generally safe if administered by a healthcare professional, although further investigations are needed to assess their utility for patients with persistent pain, especially associated with terminal illness.