A team of anesthesiologists at the University of Michigan, collaborating with Tryp Therapeutics, has made an intriguing discovery.
Their study, published in Current Biology, shows that rats can experience less chronic pain after receiving injections of psilocybin.
The context for this study is the widespread issue of chronic pain in the U.S., affecting about 20% of adults. This situation has contributed significantly to the opioid epidemic, as people often use opioids to manage their pain.
Unfortunately, these drugs can lead to numerous problems, prompting researchers to seek safer alternatives.
Psilocybin, known for its use in certain mushrooms and its psychedelic effects, has been talked about in non-scientific circles as a potential remedy for chronic pain.
This claim caught the attention of the scientific community, especially since psilocybin has already shown promise in treating depression and addictions in some studies.
To explore this possibility, the research team conducted an experiment with lab rats. They induced chronic pain in the rats by injecting formaldehyde into one of their feet, causing painful, long-lasting inflammation.
After this, the rats were treated with varying doses of psilocybin: some received a low dose, others a high dose, and a control group was given saltwater.
The team then tested the rats’ sensitivity to pain. This was done by periodically pricking their feet or placing them on a hot plate over the course of a month.
Interestingly, the rats treated with psilocybin, regardless of the dose, showed a clear reduction in sensitivity to the pinpricks. However, there was no change in their response to the hot plate or in the rats given saltwater.
From these findings, the researchers propose that psilocybin could be reducing chronic pain in rats by altering the brain in a way similar to how chronic pain itself changes the brain.
However, more research is needed to determine if psilocybin could be a viable treatment for chronic pain in humans.
This study is a step towards understanding how alternative substances might be used in pain management, potentially offering a safer option compared to opioids.
If you care about pain, please read studies about extra virgin olive oil for arthritis, and pomegranate: A natural treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.
For more information about wellness, please see recent studies about how to live pain-free with arthritis, and results showing medical cannabis may help reduce arthritis pain, back pain.
The research findings can be found in Current Biology.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
