The Hidden Therapeutic Bridge: Exploring Psilocybin’s Role in Depression, Inflammation, and Pain – A Narrative Review
Mareli Vázquez-Barreto, Mariana Ugarte-Rocha, Abraham Flores Vargas, Yazmín Adriana García Núñez, Dominique Hahn, Ulises Coffeen
Current Neuropharmacology October 14, 2026 DOI: 10.2174/011570159x513731260923101459 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Narrative review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Depression Psilocybin |
| Key findings | Argues that psilocybin and psilocin show therapeutic potential for depression, anxiety, and pain, and that their mechanisms may involve inflammation, pain processing, the default mode network, and mystical experiences. The authors contend that the complexity of depression and chronic pain and the limited efficacy of current treatments justify research into alternative substances. |
Abstract
Mental disorders are among the leading causes of non-fatal health loss worldwide and are associated with significant individual, social, and economic burdens. On the other hand, neuropathic pain affects approximately 7-8% of the world's adult population and is a leading reason for medical consultations. A bidirectional relationship between depression and pain has been widely documented. Depression is associated with increased pain perception, while chronic pain may predispose or exacerbate depressive symptoms. The complexity of these two pathologies and the limited efficacy of their current treatments call for research into alternative substances with greater therapeutic success. In this sense, psilocybin has aroused interest in Western medicine since it has been found to have great potential in the treatment of disorders such as depression, anxiety, and pain, among others. In this narrative review, a visualization analysis was conducted to assess the current landscape of psilocybin and psilocin research, spanning from its potential for depression treatment to its potential for pain management. Furthermore, the mechanisms of action of these compounds are analyzed, as are their possible implications in the therapeutics of inflammation and pain, including their participation in the default mode network and the fundamental role of the mystical experiences they generate.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on psilocybin for depression, 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 | |
| Molecular Mechanisms of Psilocybin and Implications for the Treatment of Depression | 2021 | Review | |
| Registered clinical studies investigating psychedelic drugs for psychiatric disorders. Registered clinical trials on clinicaltrials.gov evaluating psychedelics for... | 2021 | Review | n = 70 |
| Depression, Mindfulness, and Psilocybin: Possible Complementary Effects of Mindfulness Meditation and Psilocybin in the Treatment of Depression. A Review | 2020 | Review | |
| From psychiatry to neurology: Psychedelics as prospective therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders | 2021 | Review |