Neuropharmacological analysis of the anti-addictive and therapeutic effects of psilocybin
Anthony Principe
SURG Journal June 1, 2022 DOI: 10.21083/surg.v14i1.6870 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Addiction Anxiety Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Mental health Obsessive compulsive Intervention counseling Psychotherapist Hallucinogen |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin may produce long-term positive effects in mental health disorders by altering pathological neurofunctional anatomy, potentially through a 'reset' of neurological connections. |
Abstract
This review presents a general background of psilocybin pharmacology and discusses its uses in treating various mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and addiction. A summary of preliminary clinical trials utilizing psilocybin in each disorder is presented, along with an analysis of the neurobiological mechanisms that could explain the results. The purpose of this review is to collect and analyze neuropharmacological data and form an understanding of the possible mechanisms underlying psilocybin’s long-term positive effects in those suffering from various mental health disorders. Psilocybin may be a crucial tool in altering the neurofunctional anatomy that is the pathological core of various mental health disorders. A ‘reset’ of these neurological connections could be the basis of psilocybin treatment and may perhaps inspire a novel foundation of neurological medical intervention in mental health disorders.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on psilocybin for addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| Psychedelics as anti-inflammatory agents Animal models and cellular studies | 2018 | Review | |
| Psychedelic Drugs in Biomedicine | 2017 | Review | |
| DARK Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Psilocybin | 2018 | Review | |
| Psilocybin for treating substance use disorders? | 2016 | Narrative review |