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Burmester DR, Madsen MK, Szabo A, Aripaka SS, Stenbæk DS, Frokjaer VG, Elfving B, Mikkelsen JD, Knudsen GM, Fisher PM. Subacute effects of a single dose of psilocybin on biomarkers of inflammation in healthy humans: An open-label preliminary investigation. Compr Psychoneuroendocrinol 2022; 13:100163. [PMID: 36545240 PMCID: PMC9761602 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2022.100163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale Psilocybin is a serotonergic psychedelic that has gained prominent attention recently as a potential therapeutic for neuropsychiatric disorders including Major Depressive Disorder. Pre-clinical and initial studies in humans suggest that serotonin 2A receptor agonists, including serotonergic psychedelics, have anti-inflammatory effects. This may contribute to its therapeutic effects as previous studies indicate a link between neuropsychiatric disorders and inflammatory processes. However, the effect of psilocybin on biomarkers of inflammation has not been evaluated in humans. Objectives Investigate the effect of a single dose of psilocybin on peripheral biomarkers of inflammation in healthy humans. Methods Blood samples were collected from 16 healthy participants before and one day after the administration of a single oral dose of psilocybin (mean dose: 0.22 mg/kg) and subsequently analyzed for concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), tumor-necrosis-factor (TNF) and soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR). Change in inflammatory markers was evaluated using a paired t-test where p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results We did not observe statistically significant changes in any of the above biomarkers of inflammation (all Cohen's d ≤ 0.31; all p ≥ 0.23). Conclusions Our data do not support that a single dose of psilocybin reduces biomarkers of inflammation in healthy individuals one day after administration. Nevertheless, we suggest that future studies consider additional markers of inflammation, including markers of neuroinflammation, and evaluate potential anti-inflammatory effects of psilocybin therapy in clinical cohorts where more prominent effects may be observable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Rødbro Burmester
- Neurobiology Research Unit and NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Korsbak Madsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit and NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medicine Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Attila Szabo
- NORMENT Center of Excellence (CoE), Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sagar Sanjay Aripaka
- Neurobiology Research Unit and NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medicine Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dea Siggaard Stenbæk
- Neurobiology Research Unit and NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vibe G. Frokjaer
- Neurobiology Research Unit and NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medicine Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Psychiatry Copenhagen, Mental Health Services Capital Region, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Betina Elfving
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jens D. Mikkelsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit and NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gitte Moos Knudsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit and NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medicine Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Patrick MacDonald Fisher
- Neurobiology Research Unit and NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Corresponding author. Neurobiology Research Unit, Inge Lehmanns Vej 8, Rigshospitalet, Building 8057, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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