Neuroprotective effects of psilocybin in a rat model of stroke.
Seong-Jin Yu, Kuo-Jen Wu, Yu-Syuan Wang, Eunkyung Bae, Fabio Chianelli, Nicholas Bambakidis, Yun Wang
BMC Neuroscience October 8, 2024 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-024-00903-x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Preclinical experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Adult male and timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats, and primary rat cortical neurons |
| Intervention | Psilocybin |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Psychedelic-medicine Stroke-treatment Brain-protection Neuroprotection Bdnf |
| Citations | 8 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin reduced brain infarction and improved locomotor behavior in stroke rats, with protective mechanisms involving regulation of BDNF expression. |
Abstract
Psilocybin is a psychedelic 5HT2A receptor agonist found in "magic mushrooms". Recent studies have indicated that 5HT2A agonists, such as dimethyltryptamine, given before middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo), improve staircase behavior, increased BDNF expression, and reduce brain infarction in stroke rats. The objective of this study is to determine the protective effect of psilocybin in cellular and animal models of stroke. Adult male and timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were used for this study. The neural protective effects of psilocybin were determined in primary rat cortical neurons and adult rats. Rats were subjected to a 60-min middle cerebral artery occlusion. Brain tissues were collected for histological and qRTPCR analysis. Psilocybin reduced glutamate-mediated neuronal loss in rat primary cortical neuronal cultures. Psilocybin-mediated protection in culture was antagonized by the BDNF inhibitor ANA12. Pretreatment with psilocybin reduced brain infarction and neurological deficits in stroke rats. Early post-treatment with psilocybin improved locomotor behavior, upregulated the expression of MAP2 and synaptophysin, and down-regulated the expression of IBA1 in the stroke brain. ANA12 significantly attenuated psilocybin-mediated reduction in brain infarction and improvements in locomotor behavior. Psilocybin reduced brain infarction and improved locomotor behavior in stroke rats; the protective mechanisms involve regulating BDNF expression. Our data support a novel therapeutic approach of psilocybin in stroke.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on psilocybin, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin induces rapid and persistent growth of dendritic spines in frontal cortex in vivo Mice | 2021 | Observational cohort | |
| Harnessing psilocybin: antidepressant-like behavioral and synaptic actions of psilocybin are independent of 5-HT2R activation in mice Mice | 2021 | Experimental study | |
| Psychedelics reopen the social reward learning critical period Mice | 2023 | Experimental study in mice | |
| Correlation between the potency of hallucinogens in the mouse head-twitch response assay and their behavioral and subjective effects in other species. C57BL/6J mice | 2020 | Experimental study with dose-response experiments | |
| Effects of psilocybin on hippocampal neurogenesis and extinction of trace fear conditioning Mice | 2013 | Experimental study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- Are we hallucinating or can psychedelic drugs modulate the immune system to control inflammation? British Journal of Pharmacology July 28, 2025
- Ayahuasca reverses ischemic stroke-induced neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Behavioural Brain Research May 8, 2025
- Narrating the psychoneuroimmunomodulatory properties of serotonin 5-HT2A receptor psychedelics from a transdiagnostic perspective. Acta Neuropsychiatrica July 25, 2025
- Psychedelics in Multiple Sclerosis: Mechanisms, Challenges, and Prospects for Neuroimmune Modulation and Repair. Cells November 26, 2025
- Psilocybin Use in an Intercollegiate Athlete with Persisting Symptoms After Concussion: A Case Report Psychoactives July 1, 2025
and 1 more in the library
Cites 27
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
- Psychedelics Promote Structural and Functional Neural Plasticity Cell Reports June 1, 2018
- Psilocybin induces schizophrenia-like psychosis in humans via a serotonin-2 agonist action Neuroreport December 1, 1998
- The pharmacology of psilocybin Addiction Biology October 1, 2002
and 22 more in the library