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Persons With Spinal Cord Injury Report Peripherally Dominant Serotonin-Like Syndrome After Use of Serotonergic Psychedelics.

Stephanie Karzon Abrams, Brenden Samuel Rabinovitch, Rayyan Zafar, Aly Shah Aziz, Nicholas Paul Cherup, David W McMillan, Jessica L. Nielson, Evan Cole Lewis

Neurotrauma reports 2023 DOI: 10.1089/neur.2023.0022 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Descriptive review and theoretical framework Peer reviewed
Population Persons with spinal cord injury (SCI)
Topics LSD MDMA Psilocybin Serotonin
Keywords Spasms Psychedelics hallucinogens Entheogens Spinal trauma Paralysis Serotonin effects serotonergic
Citations 5
Key findings Proposes that persons with SCI may experience a peripherally dominant serotonin syndrome-like reaction to classical psychedelics, characterized by muscle spasms, sweating, and tremors, which has not been previously described in academic literature.

Abstract

Psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) may treat various mental health conditions. Despite its promising therapeutic signal across mental health outcomes, less attention is paid on its potential to provide therapeutic benefits across complex medical situations within rehabilitation medicine. Persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) have a high prevalence of treatment-resistant mental health comorbidities that compound the extent of their physical disability. Reports from online discussion forums suggest that those living with SCI are using psychedelics, though the motivation for their use is unknown. These anecdotal reports describe a consistent phenomenon of neuromuscular and autonomic hypersensitivity to classical serotonergic psychedelics, such as psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Persons describe intense muscle spasms, sweating, and tremors, with an eventual return to baseline and no reports of worsening of their baseline neurological deficits. The discomfort experienced interferes with the subjective beneficial effects self-reported. This phenomenon has not been described previously in the academic literature. We aim to provide a descriptive review and explanatory theoretical framework hypothesizing this phenomenon as a peripherally dominant serotonin syndrome-like clinical picture-that should be considered as such when persons with SCI are exposed to classical psychedelics. Raising awareness of this syndrome may help our mechanistic understanding of serotonergic psychedelics and stimulate development of treatment protocols permitting persons with SCI to safely tolerate their adverse effects. As PAT transitions from research trials into accepted clinical and decriminalized use, efforts must be made from a harm reduction perspective to understand these adverse events, while also serving as an informed consent process aid if such therapeutic approaches are to be considered for use in persons living with SCI.

Comparable studies

Other narrative reviews on serotonin, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Serotonin research: contributions to understanding psychoses 2008 Review
Human psychopharmacology of Ecstasy (MDMA): a review of 15 years of empirical research 2001 Review
Hallucinogens and Serotonin 5-HT2A Receptor-Mediated Signaling Pathways 2017 Review
3,4‐Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “Ecstasy”): pharmacology and toxicology in animals and humans 1994 Review
(±)3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (‘Ecstasy’)-Induced Serotonin Neurotoxicity: Studies in Animals 2000 Review

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LSD MDMA Psilocybin Serotonin Psychedelic-assisted therapy