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Response of cluster headache to psilocybin and LSD

R. Andrew Sewell, John H. Halpern, Harrison G. Pope

Neurology June 26, 2006 DOI: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000219761.05466.43 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Qualitative study Peer reviewed
Sample size 53
Population Cluster headache patients who used psilocybin or LSD
Interventions Psilocybin Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
Topics LSD Psilocybin
Keywords Ipilimumab Nivolumab Demographics Adverse effect Retrospective cohort study Complete response Oncology Cancer
Citations 259
Key findings Psilocybin and LSD were reported by most users to abort attacks, terminate cluster periods, and extend remission periods.

Abstract

The authors interviewed 53 cluster headache patients who had used psilocybin or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) to treat their condition. Twenty-two of 26 psilocybin users reported that psilocybin aborted attacks; 25 of 48 psilocybin users and 7 of 8 LSD users reported cluster period termination; 18 of 19 psilocybin users and 4 of 5 LSD users reported remission period extension. Research on the effects of psilocybin and LSD on cluster headache may be warranted.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on LSD, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
LSD-assisted psychotherapy for anxiety associated with a life-threatening disease: A qualitative study of acute and sustained subjective effects Patients with anxiety associated with life-threatening diseases 2014 Prospective follow-up with qualitative content analysis n = 10
Making "bad trips" good: How users of psychedelics narratively transform challenging trips into valuable experiences. Norwegian users of psychedelics 2021 Qualitative study n = 50
Psychedelic microdosing benefits and challenges: an empirical codebook Active microdosing community 2019 Mixed-methods study
Psychoactive substances as a last resort—a qualitative study of self-treatment of migraine and cluster headaches Users of online forums discussing cluster headache and migraine treatments 2017 Qualitative thematic analysis
A phenomenological analysis of the subjective experience elicited by ibogaine in the context of a drug dependence treatment Patients with substance-related disorders 2017 Qualitative study n = 22

Citations in the library

Cited by 153

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LSD Psilocybin