https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cultural-neuroscience/202610/could-psilocybin-help-the-brain-after-repeated-concussions
It might not come as a surprise that repeated mild traumatic brain injuries (rmTBI), such as repeated concussions, could increase a person’s risk of developing brain diseases later in life. Such conditions include dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Several changes that may occur in the brain help explain this increased risk.
Brengel, Axe, & Maheswari 2026 reported that injuries can lead to ongoing inflammation in the brain, changes in the structure of brain tissue, reduced blood flow, and damage to the protective barrier that normally helps keep harmful substances out of the brain. Such injuries may also make it harder for the brain to clear away unwanted proteins. Over time, the buildup of such proteins and other changes may contribute to gradual damage and loss of brain cells associated with neurodegenerative diseases. What might be surprising to many is exploratory research of a hallucinogen to learn more about how to possibly help those who have experienced psychiatric problems following concussions.
Exploring psilocybin to address brain injury
Brengel, Axe, & Maheswari 2026 suggested that the hallucinogen psilocybin (PSI) could be used to treat brain injury because of its known anti-inflammatory effects. PSI has been studied for its action as a promoter of neuroplasticity (the brain’s remarkable ability to change and reorganize itself throughout life) and cell growth. They were interested in PSI’s potential therapeutic use for various psychiatric disorders such as substance abuse, severe depression, and anxiety.
The researchers' experimental rat study of PSI was done to explore the drug’s use as an intervention following head injury. The injury specifically presented as a swelling of the tissue above the skull (a bump on the head) at the site of impact. Because rats are most active at night, the researchers conducted their experiment during the rats’ normal active period at night. This made the timing of the experience more comparable to studying an injury occurring during the daytime, when humans are typically most active.
Intervention
Researchers administered a 3.0 mg/kg dose of PSI to test for measurable changes in brain activity, which they detected by tracking changes in blood flow and oxygen levels in the animals’ brains. The researchers tested this dose of PSI using a method that produced repeated mild head injuries to the rats, without breaking or penetrating the skulls, like what happens with repeated concussions for humans. The animals were impacted once each day for three consecutive days.
What the evidence revealed
The findings suggest that psilocybin may help the injured brain in several ways. It reduced swelling caused by fluid leaking into brain tissue and helped blood vessels return to more normal functioning. It also changed patterns of communication among brain regions when the brain was at rest. In addition, psilocybin reduced the buildup of an abnormal form of tau, a protein associated with brain degeneration, and increased levels of proteins that help brain cells survive, adapt, and form new connections. The treatment also affected neurons' fat-based signaling molecules, playing a role in how brain cells communicate and respond to injury.
Takeaways
The researchers stated that there is no approved medical treatment for repeated mild traumatic brain injuries. However, taken together, these findings suggest an intriguing possibility: psilocybin may do more after a brain injury than temporarily alter consciousness, a primary topic of investigation of the substance's psychological effect. We know that inferring findings based on animal studies is not an exact one-to-one relevance to humans' experiences. Yet given the number of injuries humans sustain from repeated bumps to the head in organized sports and accidents, it is helpful to now learn that PSI may influence some of the biological processes involved in the brain’s ability to protect, repair, and reorganize itself.
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