(NewsNation) — A new study by scientists at the University of Michigan found psychedelic mushrooms could provide long-lasting relief from chronic pain.
The research found that the active ingredient in these mushrooms, called psilocybin, might alter and reshape pathways in our brain, which the authors believe could treat the cause of chronic pain and not just the pain itself.
For the study, researchers injected formaldehyde into the feet of rats to mimic the effects of chronic inflammation.
Scientists found that rats who were given a key ingredient in these “magic mushrooms” were later found to be less sensitive to certain types of pain compared to those not given the drug.
The rats were then separated into three separate groups and given different treatments. The first group received a low dose of psilocybin, the second received a high dose of the drug and the control group received a placebo of saltwater.
The rats were then exposed to pricks on their feet and hot plates to see how they responded.
In the study, the rats that were given both low and high-dose psilocybin showed signs of reduced sensitivity to the foot-pricks.
However, the rats did not show improvement when they were exposed to heat.
Dr. Tom Pitts, an interventional neurologist and pain management specialist, is excited about what this could mean for patients if the research pans out.
“The cool thing about psilocybin is it has the potential to interact favorably in pain at multiple areas. One, it may decrease the intensity of which you perceive the pain signals coming in. It may dim down that 10 to you know, a two or a five. It may kind of correct that allodynia we call it feeling pain out of the proportion of the injury,” Pitts said.
This study adds to a growing body of research that shows promising medical benefits of chemicals found in so-called “magic mushrooms.” However, more research is needed to fully understand psilocybin and whether it can be used as a pain management option.
NewsNation also reached out to the study’s scientists but said they were not commenting at this time.