Psilocybin Shows Potential in Treating Repetitive Mild Head Injuries, Finds Study
- Researchers studied the effects of psilocybin on an animal model of mild repetitive head injuries, finding that it reduced vasogenic edema and restored vascular reactivity and functional connectivity.
- Psilocybin also lowered phosphorylated tau buildup, increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor TrkB, and influenced lipid signaling molecules.
- Currently, there are no approved medical treatments for repetitive mild head injuries, which can lead to lasting cognitive, motor, and behavioral deficits.
- The study suggests that psilocybin has potential in addressing concerns related to repetitive mild head injuries, such as reducing neuroinflammation and enhancing neuroplasticity.
For the study, researchers from Northeastern University, Delaware State University, and Indiana University examined the impact of psilocybin on an animal model of mild repetitive head injuries, a model used to simulate trauma sustained in sports, car accidents, falls, and military service. The findings indicate that psilocybin reduced vasogenic edema, restored vascular reactivity and functional connectivity, lowered phosphorylated tau buildup, and increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor TrkB.
The study also found that psilocybin influenced lipid signaling molecules, which may play a role in neuroprotection.
Currently, no approved medical treatments exist for repetitive mild head injuries, which can lead to lasting cognitive, motor, and behavioral deficits, as well as an elevated risk of conditions like dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), notes researchers. The results suggest psilocybin’s potential in addressing these concerns through its known ability to reduce neuroinflammation and enhance neuroplasticity.
The full study is available here.