In a breakthrough study, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discovered that psilocybin given before chemotherapy prevented the onset of nerve injury in preclinical models, even after repeated treatment cycles, which could help prevent pain, numbness and other common chemotherapy side effects. The study, co-led by Moran Amit, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Head and Neck Surgery, and Patrick Dougherty, Ph.D., professor of Pain Medicine, uncovers a previously unrecognized neuroprotective role of serotonin receptors and suggests psilocybin as a first-in-class intervention for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
“There is an urgent need for treatments that prevent nerve injury without interfering with lifesaving chemotherapy,” Amit said. “These findings offer important insights into how psilocybin may protect nerves before damage occurs, rather than treating symptoms after they become persistent. At UT MD Anderson, we are actively exploring the multiple facets of psychedelics to pursue interventions that improve the lives of our patients.”