Relief from intractable phantom pain by combining psilocybin and mirror visual-feedback (MVF)
Vilayanur S. Ramachandran, Chaipat Chunharas, Zeve Marcus, Timothy Furnish, Albert Lin
Neurocase March 4, 2018 DOI: 10.1080/13554794.2018.1468469 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | Person with leg amputation and phantom-limb pain |
| Interventions | Mirror-visual-feedback phantom massage psilocybin artificial flames |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Imaging phantom Phantom limb Phantom pain Illusion Forehead Nail fastener |
| Citations | 63 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin paired with mirror-visual-feedback completely eliminated phantom-limb pain. |
Abstract
AL's leg was amputated resulting in phantom-limb pain (PLP). (1) When a volunteer placed her foot on or near the phantom - touching it evoked organized sensations in corresponding locations on AL's phantom. (2) Mirror-visual-feedback (MVF) relieved PLP, as did, "phantom massage". (3) Psilocybin-MVF pairing produced synergistic effects, complete elimination of PLP, and reduction in paroxysmal episodes. (4) Touching the volunteer's leg where AL previously had external fixators, evoked sensation of nails boring through the leg. Using a "telescoping" nail, we created the illusion of a nail being removed with corresponding pain relief. (5) Artificial flames produced warmth in the phantom.