A single dose of psilocybin has a lasting therapeutic effect on migraine headache, according to a new placebo-controlled study

Scientists have started to investigate whether psilocybin, the primary substance responsible for the psychedelic effects of “magic” mushrooms, could be helpful to those who suffer from migraine headache. Their new findings, published in Neurotherapeutics, provide preliminary evidence that the drug could provide long-lasting therapeutic benefits to migraine sufferers.

Anecdotal reports have circulated for years that psilocybin lessens migraine symptoms. But there has been little scientific evidence to back the claims. The newly published research is the first double-blind, placebo-controlled study to examine whether psilocybin affects migraine disease.

“As a headache medicine physician, I see the need for a better understanding of headache disorders, including migraine, and the need for more treatment options. I’ve also studied the neuropharmacology of psychedelics for a number of years and appreciate their ability to help us understand more about the workings of the human brain,” explained study author Emmanuelle A. D. Schindler (@eadschindler), an assistant professor of neurology at Yale School of Medicine.
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