Potential Benefits of Psilocybin for Lupus Pain: A Case Report
Current Rheumatology Reviews September 6, 2023 Christine Alexopoulos, Sofia Audrey B. Gonzales, Daniel G. Arkfeld 6 citations
A 67-year-old man with lupus and chronic joint pain unrelieved by standard treatments experienced dramatic, lasting pain relief after a single 6-gram dose of psilocybin mushrooms. Twelve months later, he remained free of debilitating joint pain. The authors suggest that psilocybin's activation of serotonin-2A receptors may disrupt neural pathways associated with chronic pain and promote neuroplastic changes, though this mechanism is not fully understood. This is the first reported case of psilocybin benefiting lupus-related pain, and the authors call for further research on macro-dosing psilocybin for this condition.