This review synthesises clinical and mechanistic evidence suggesting classic psychedelics — via 5‑HT2A receptor agonism and resultant changes in brain functional connectivity — may reverse neural alterations underlying chronic pain and produce analgesic effects, with limited but promising reports in cancer pain, phantom limb pain and cluster headache. Given their comparatively favourable safety profile versus opioids, the authors propose further clinical research into psychedelics as non‑opioid analgesics.
- Published
- Journal
- Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
- Authors
- Castellanos, J. P., Woolley, C., Bruno, K. A., Zeidan, F., Halberstadt, A., Furnish, T.