Exploring the Potential of Psychedelics in the Treatment of Headache Disorders: Clinical Considerations and Exploratory Insights.
Isabella Henderson, Ronnie Elsaadany, Gabriel Chan, Vikram Bajaj, Diana Duarte, Sadie Goodman, Michael Grunstein, Nehal P. Vadhan, Robert A Duarte
Current Pain and Headache Reports January 16, 2025 DOI: 10.1007/s11916-024-01321-8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Psilocybin LSD |
| Topics | LSD Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Migraines Cluster headache Headache disorder Psychedelics hallucinogens Entheogens |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | Psychedelic drugs like LSD and psilocybin may reduce headache attack frequency, severity, or duration in patients with migraine or cluster headache. |
Abstract
Exploration of the potential of serotonergic psychedelic drugs, such as psilocybin and LSD, as potential treatments for headache disorders. This review addresses the need for well-informed physician guidelines and discusses mechanisms, safety, and efficacy of these treatments. Further research, including the consideration of combination with psychotherapy, is needed. Psychedelics demonstrate promising outcomes as treatments for headache disorders. Recent findings indicated that some patients who underwent brief periods of treatment with psychedelics experienced a reduction in headache attack frequency, severity, or duration. When prescription medications are ineffective at treating headache disorders, or are habit-forming, patients often turn to alternative options. There is anecdotal evidence that psychedelic drugs like LSD and psilocybin can effectively treat and prevent pain in patients with headache disorders, such as migraine or cluster headache. It is vital that physicians treating patients who self-treat with psychedelics be well-informed about the mechanisms and their effects to best advise their patients and coordinate their care well. This is a review assessing the literature on the mechanisms, safety, and efficacy of psychedelic drugs as a headache management intervention. We believe there is evidence that may support further investigation into the clinical use of psychedelic medications to treat cluster headache and migraine, including the consideration of use in conjunction with other interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy or acceptance and commitment training.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on LSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study of a New Schizophrenomimetic Drug—Sernyl | 1959 | Review | |
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| The Pharmacology of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide: A Review | 2008 | Review | |
| Serotonin research: contributions to understanding psychoses | 2008 | Review | |
| ADVERSE REACTIONS TO PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS. A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE | 1984 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- LSD: Mechanisms and relevance to the treatment of depression Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews October 10, 2025
- Effects of Psychedelics Lysergic Acid Diethylamide and R (–)-2,5-Dimethoxy-4-Iodoamphetamine on Oral Opioid Consumption and Naloxone-Precipitated Withdrawal in Male C57Bl/6J Mice Psychedelic Medicine March 28, 2026
Cites 49
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 23, 2012
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
- REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics Pharmacological Reviews June 20, 2019
- The pharmacology of psilocybin Addiction Biology October 1, 2002
and 44 more in the library