Psychedelics: Their Limited Understanding and Future in the Treatment of Chronic Pain

Abstract

Psychedelics are hallucinogenic drugs that alter the state of consciousness substantially. They bring about psychological, auditory, and visual changes. The psychedelics act on the brain, implying that they have a powerful psychological impact. One of the main factors contributing to disability worldwide is pain. The majority of people deal with pain on a daily basis. Living with chronic pain affects daily life and has social implications. Chronic pain can be associated with any disease that may be genetic, idiopathic, or traumatic. The standard management of pain is done with pharmacological intervention and physical therapy. However, with time, patients may become resistant to a particular class of drugs. As these drugs do not help in treating the cause of pain, they act by blocking receptors and suppressing nervous systems, as this pharmacological intervention is not a permanent solution for pain management. Long-term use of the pharmacological intervention, which acts by suppressing the nervous system, may develop other side effects on the body. These standard therapies are not as effective in managing pain. The opioid class of drugs has good pain-relieving properties but causes addiction; it needs therapeutic drug monitoring to monitor that it is not abused. Since the first synthetic psychedelic was developed, until today, we have had a fair chance to understand its effects and side effects.​These drugs are very potent and effective. They have shown promising developments in the field of clinical psychology. There is upcoming research on psychedelics' use in treating pain disorders. In this article, let us understand the effect of psychedelic drugs on the brain and body and how they modulate pain. Even today, the precise mechanism of chronic pain is still not understood completely. Psychedelics' application and uses in future medicine and pain management are being studied. Understanding psychedelics' effects on the brain and how they function allows us to link how they might be used to treat chronic pain.

Psychedelics and fNIRS neuroimaging: exploring new opportunities

“…Since psychedelics can have anti-inflammatory effects by modulating inflammatory pathways via novel mechanisms, 73 they are currently also being explored for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, 74 – 76 brain injuries, 77 autoimmune diseases, 78 , 79 as well as for chronic pain. 80 – 82 …”

“…Since psychedelics can have anti-inflammatory effects by modulating inflammatory pathways via novel mechanisms, 73 they are currently also being explored for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, [74][75][76] brain injuries, 77 autoimmune diseases, 78,79 as well as for chronic pain. [80][81][82] 4 Neuroimaging of Psychedelic Effects Recent neuroimaging studies using electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and functional magnetic-resonance imaging (fMRI) in resting state and in combination with neuropsychological tasks in healthy subjects have advanced our understanding of the acute system-level effects and their association with behavioral changes. 83 These discoveries provide a strategic scientific roadmap to further identify circumscribed neurobehavioral responses that may allow us to pinpoint the neuronal targets that may reflect specific symptom reductions in patients.…”

Psychedelics for Use and Wellbeing Cultural Context and Recent Developments: A Jamaican Perspective

“…Though "discovered" in 1956 by Roger Heim [3], the history of Psilocybin use extends to as far back as 6,000 BCE with depictions of Psilocybin containing mushrooms in the Selva Pascuala Mural in Spain [4]. There have been documented use among indigenous peoples from Pre-Columbian Americas, ancient Egypt, and Greco-Roman ceremonies for sacred rituals, and as a way of "communing with the gods" and resolving complex themes [5][6][7]. This kind of use falls within the realm of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM).…”