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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.07.06.663398

Psilocybin has no immediate or persistent analgesic effect in acute and chronic mouse pain models

Gregory, N. S.·Girard, T. E.·Ram, A.·Casey, A. B.·Malenka, R. C.·Tawfik, V. L.·Heifets, B. D.
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Abstract

The psychedelic psilocybin may have lasting therapeutic effects for patients with chronic pain syndromes. Some clinical and preclinical data suggest these putative benefits derive from direct analgesic effects. However, this possibility has not been comprehensively tested in preclinical models. Here, we show that psilocybin is not analgesic over a range of doses across multiple pain assays and models of acute and chronic inflammatory, neuropathic, or musculoskeletal pain in mice.

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Gregory, N. S., Girard, T. E., Ram, A., Casey, A. B., Malenka, R. C., Tawfik, V. L., Heifets, B. D.. 2025-07-07. Psilocybin has no immediate or persistent analgesic effect in acute and chronic mouse pain models. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.07.06.663398

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