Researcher Voices: Learn from peers and benefit from the critical insights of key opinion leaders
Connect
Hope for the future of chronic pain sufferers: Magic mushroom compound offers long-lasting pain relief in mice
January 20, 2026 | 5 min read
By Tiffany Chen
Chronic pain can make simple tasks, such as stepping out of bed, tying a shoe, and climbing stairs, feel overwhelming. For millions, these challenges are a daily burden, often with no lasting treatment in sight.
Researchers have now found that a single dose of psilocybin, the compound responsible for the mind-bending effects of magic mushrooms, eliminated signs of chronic pain in mice for up to two weeks. The study, published in Pharmacological Research, suggests that psychedelics could hold potential for treating long-lasting pain.
“Anecdotally, there are reports that people with a history of psychedelic use may have lower pain levels or use magic mushrooms to manage their pain,” said senior author M. Imad Damaj of Virginia Commonwealth University with his collaborator Javier González-Maeso. “That’s why we wanted to do a well-controlled study in animal models.”
Prof. Dr. M. Imad Damaj of Virginia Commonwealth University
Testing psilocybin across two types of chronic pain
Pain can manifest in different ways. To capture that complexity, the team tested psilocybin in two mouse models: one with chronic nerve pain and the other with chronic inflammatory pain. These animals show heightened sensitivity to touch, heat, and cold, responding to stimuli with pain-like behaviors.
But after receiving a dose of psilocybin (1 mg/kg), the animals’ pain-like behaviors disappeared. Sensitivity to touch, heat, and cold was reduced, and the effect lasted from six to 14 days — long after the compound had left their bodies. Psilocybin also reversed anxiety-like behaviors in mice with chronic nerve pain, pointing to broader impacts on pain-related distress.
Damaj noted that chronic pain is notoriously difficult to treat. Many pain medications, such as opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen must be taken daily and carry risks ranging from dependency to blunted effectiveness over time.
“That’s why the findings are really fascinating, innovative, and new,” says Damaj. “In our hands, one dose of psilocybin reverses these signs of pain for almost two weeks in mice.”
How psilocybin suppresses pain
Past research has shown that psilocybin acts on the 5-HT₂A receptor, responsible for the trippy psychedelic experiences in humans. When the researchers blocked this receptor, psilocybin no longer reduced pain-like behaviors, confirming the receptor’s role in pain pathways.
“These compounds probably change the plasticity of brain regions involved in pain transmission,” says Damaj.
Psychedelics are already known to promote neural plasticity, essentially reshaping how neurons grow, connect, and communicate. A recent study from the University of Pennsylvania by Joseph Cichon found similar effects of psilocybin in mice. Imaging work showed that the psychedelic altered pain-related circuitry in a brain region that handles pain, emotions, and attention, supporting the explanation of extended relief.
Cautious optimism
Of course, mice are not people. Whether psilocybin can produce similar long-lasting effects in humans requires carefully designed clinical trials. Damaj stresses that people shouldn’t self-prescribe psychedelics for pain.
Since the very receptor thought to underpin psychedelic experiences also plays a role in pain processing, the researchers also wonder: are hallucinations triggered along with pain relief, and is it necessary? Damaj and his colleagues are looking into this next.
“I think there’s a lot of excitement and potential,” says Damaj. “If the clinical signal is positive, then the real work begins, in terms of how to deliver them safely, who should receive it, and what regulations are needed.”