Magic mushrooms could help break pain-depression cycle, study finds

Washington (dpa) – Researchers at the US health centre Penn Medicine have found specific brain circuits are affected by psilocybin, the active compound in certain psychedelic mushrooms, opening new ways to treat pain and mental health issues. The new study, published in Nature Neuroscience by the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine, sheds light on how this link between chronic pain and depression might be broken. So-called magic mushrooms are known and used recreationally for their psychedelic effects. Even for medicinal purposes, psilocybin remains illegal in most countries, but a growing body of research suggests it has potential therapeutic uses. The Pennsylvania team studied two mouse models of chronic pain – one caused by nerve injury and another by inflammation.