Seeking the Psilocybiome: Psychedelics meet the microbiota-gut-brain axis.
John R. Kelly, Gerard Clarke, Andrew Harkin, Sinead C Corr, Stephen Galvin, Vishnu Pradeep, John F Cryan, Veronica O'Keane, Timothy G Dinan
International journal of clinical and health psychology : IJCHP 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2022.100349 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | DMT LSD Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Dimethyltryptamine DMT Microbiota-gut-brain axis Psychedelics hallucinogens Entheogens Gut microbiome microbiota Gut bacteria Gut flora Intestinal flora Neuroscience brain |
| Citations | 33 |
| Key findings | The microbiota-gut-brain axis may play a role in the preparatory, acute administration, and integration phases of psychedelic therapy, potentially influencing mechanisms of action and treatment response. |
Abstract
Moving towards a systems psychiatry paradigm embraces the inherent complex interactions across all levels from micro to macro and necessitates an integrated approach to treatment. Cortical 5-HT2A receptors are key primary targets for the effects of serotonergic psychedelics. However, the therapeutic mechanisms underlying psychedelic therapy are complex and traverse molecular, cellular, and network levels, under the influence of biofeedback signals from the periphery and the environment. At the interface between the individual and the environment, the gut microbiome, via the gut-brain axis, plays an important role in the unconscious parallel processing systems regulating host neurophysiology. While psychedelic and microbial signalling systems operate over different timescales, the microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) axis, as a convergence hub between multiple biofeedback systems may play a role in the preparatory phase, the acute administration phase, and the integration phase of psychedelic therapy. In keeping with an interconnected systems-based approach, this review will discuss the gut microbiome and mycobiome and pathways of the MGB axis, and then explore the potential interaction between psychedelic therapy and the MGB axis and how this might influence mechanism of action and treatment response. Finally, we will discuss the possible implications for a precision medicine-based psychedelic therapy paradigm.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on DMT, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neuropharmacology of N,N-dimethyltryptamine | 2016 | Review | |
| N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), an Endogenous Hallucinogen: Past, Present, and Future Research to Determine Its Role and Function Humans and animals (general) | 2018 | Review | |
| Psychedelic 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine: metabolism, pharmacokinetics, drug interactions, and pharmacological actions. Humans (pharmacokinetics) | 2010 | Review | |
| Pharmahuasca: Human Pharmacology of Oral DMT Plus Harmine Human self-experimenters | 1999 | Review | n = 8 |
| The psychedelic model of schizophrenia: the case of N,N- dimethyltryptamine | 1976 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 30
- Are “mystical experiences” essential for antidepressant actions of ketamine and the classic psychedelics? European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience February 27, 2024
- Do the therapeutic effects of psilocybin involve actions in the gut? TIPS - Trends in Pharmacological Sciences February 1, 2024
- Mind over matter: the microbial mindscapes of psychedelics and the gut-brain axis. Pharmacological Research September 1, 2024
- Psychedelic Therapy: A Primer for Primary Care Clinicians-Historical Perspective and Overview. American Journal of Therapeutics
- Chronic psilocybin administration increases sociability and alters the gut microbiome in male wild-type mice but not in a preclinical model of obsessive-compulsive disorder Neuropharmacology August 21, 2025
and 25 more in the library
Cites 79
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
- Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder JAMA Psychiatry November 4, 2020
- REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics Pharmacological Reviews June 20, 2019
- Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression. New England Journal of Medicine November 3, 2022
and 74 more in the library