Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a complex, multifaceted condition affecting individuals through chronic pain and associated symptoms such as depression and anxiety. Emerging research suggests the potential of psychedelics in managing this condition, although robust clinical evidence is still limited.
Key Insights
- 1
Psychedelics may offer significant promise for alleviating chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, yet rigorous clinical validation is imperative.
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Data from surveys indicate that up to 37% of individuals with fibromyalgia report positive effects from using psychedelics, highlighting a demand for clinical exploration.
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Current trials investigating psilocybin for fibromyalgia have begun, with results expected by the end of 2024, signaling a move toward evidence-based psychedelic therapeutics.
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Neurobiological mechanisms underlying psychedelics suggest potential modulation of pain pathways, supporting the hypothesis that these substances could reset neural connectivity impaired by chronic pain.
What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is characterised by chronic widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive issues, as well as symptoms such as depression and insomnia. It affects approximately 2-4% of the population, predominantly women (ratio of 1:7).
The exact pathophysiology of fibromyalgia is still not fully understood, but it is believed to involve genetic and environmental factors, with the condition classified as a 'central sensitization syndrome'.
The psychological burden of fibromyalgia is notable, with a significant percentage of patients experiencing co-occurring depression and anxiety, and the economic impact on healthcare systems is substantial due to the chronic nature of the condition.
Current Treatments
Standard treatments for fibromyalgia aim to manage symptoms and improve quality of life, including aerobic and strengthening exercises, psychotherapy, mindfulness practices, and medications such as antidepressants (e.g., duloxetine, milnacipran, pregabalin).
Psychedelic Effect Matrix
Compound efficacy and evidence levels for Fibromyalgia.
| Compound | Magnitude | Evidence | Consistency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin Psilocybin's effects are primarily supported by anecdotal evidence and preparatory studies rather than large-scale clinical trials. | Medium | Low | Inconsistent |
| Esketamine A single study indicated short-term pain relief, but overall efficacy in fibromyalgia remains unproven. | Small | Low | Inconsistent |
| DMT Currently lacks sufficient research directly linking DMT to fibromyalgia treatment outcomes. | None | Very Low | Inconsistent |
Psilocybin and Fibromyalgia
Psilocybin is thought to promote neural plasticity and modulate pain perception through its action on serotonin receptors, particularly 5-HT2A. This may facilitate a 'reset' in chronic pain pathways, offering potential symptom relief for individuals suffering from fibromyalgia.
Clinical Outlook
The forward trajectory of psychedelic research in fibromyalgia holds promise, with ongoing clinical trials aimed at establishing safety and efficacy in treating this complex condition. As awareness and understanding of psychedelics grow, it is anticipated that such therapies could become integral components of fibromyalgia management protocols in the future.
Industrial Landscape
Key players in the field include Tryp Therapeutics, which is actively developing psilocybin treatments for fibromyalgia. The Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London is also conducting pivotal research in this area.
Quick Indicators
Related Topics
Organisations
Search →MAPS
Nonprofit organizer and host of the Psychedelic Science conference series, alongside broader educational and policy programming.
Imperial College London
The Centre for Psychedelic Research, led by Professor David Nutt and Dr. David Erritzoe, focuses heavily on the action of psychedelic drugs in the brain and their clinical utility as aides to psychotherapy. Thanks to their extensive neuroimaging studies, this group has proposed vital mechanisms for how psychedelics work, including the Entropic Brain Theory and REBUS (RElaxed Beliefs Under Psychedelics).
Leiden University
Leiden University doesn't have a dedicated research centre for psychedelics. However, several staff members from their medical centre and psychology faculty are working with psychedelics. Researchers here are working with other universities including Utrecht University as well as Compass Pathways.
Maastricht University
While Maastricht University may not have a single dedicated psychedelic research group, various researchers at the university are investigating the effects of psychedelics. Early research exploring psychedelics at Maastricht focused on the dangers of MDMA. Now, research into the effects of microdosing is being led by Dr Kim Kuypers. Other research ongoing at the university is investigating cannabis as well as novel psychoactive substances (NPS). Maastricht is collaborating on research with the Beckley Foundation as well as Silo Pharma.
Beijing Sanbo Brain Hospital
Beijing Sanbo Brain Hospital (首都医科大学三博脑科医院) is a leading private specialised neurological hospital founded in 2004, affiliated with Capital Medical University as its Eleventh Clinical School, with 256 beds dedicated to neurosurgery, epilepsy, cerebrovascular disease, and functional neuroscience. Its anesthesiology department participates in multi-centre trials investigating ketamine and related anesthetic agents in neurosurgical settings.
Beijing Tiantan Hospital
China's premier neurology and neurosurgery hospital, affiliated with Capital Medical University and home to the National Clinical Research Center for Neurological Diseases. Conducted the PASSION trial — a randomized, placebo-controlled study of intraoperative ketamine for depression in neurosurgical patients.
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Charleroi
University hospital in Charleroi, Belgium affiliated with the Université Libre de Bruxelles. Participates in clinical trials for psychiatric and neurological conditions, including studies in the emerging area of esketamine and rapid-acting antidepressant therapies.
Grand Hôpital de Charleroi
Grand Hôpital de Charleroi (GHdC) is a large multi-site hospital system with six hospitals in Charleroi, Wallonia, Belgium, listed as a clinical research center on the European Clinical Trials Information Network. The hospital sponsors ESKEFIB (NCT04436250), a prospective randomized double-blind trial evaluating S-ketamine as a treatment for fibromyalgia, contributing to Belgium's growing ketamine clinical research infrastructure.
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital is a leading rehabilitation hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, affiliated with the Mass General Brigham health system and home to the Scott Schoen and Nancy Adams Discovery Center for Chronic Pain Recovery. It is pioneering psychedelic research in pain medicine through the first clinical trial of MDMA-assisted therapy for fibromyalgia, which uses hyperscan neuroimaging to investigate how MDMA influences brain-to-brain dynamics between patient and therapist to produce analgesia, in collaboration with PharmAla Biotech.
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Major research university and academic medical center in Birmingham, Alabama. A key site in the first federally funded psilocybin trial in 50 years — a NIH/NIDA-funded multisite study on psilocybin for smoking cessation led by Dr. Peter Hendricks, alongside Johns Hopkins and NYU.
Wilderman Medical Clinic
A private medical clinic in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada, specializing in pain management and ketamine-assisted therapy for treatment-resistant pain and mood disorders. Founded by Dr. Igor Wilderman, the clinic conducts investigator-initiated clinical trials and combines conventional and advanced interventional pain management approaches in a multidisciplinary clinical setting.
People
Search →Valerie Bonnelle
Scientific Assistant to the Director at the Beckley Foundation
She is a researcher coordinating psychedelic studies on microdosing, pain, autonomic physiology, and peak experiences, contributing to the clinical and mechanistic understanding of psychedelic effects.
Alan Davis
Associate Professor of Social Work & Director, Center for Psychedelic Drug Research
Noted for advancing epidemiological, naturalistic and mixed-method research on therapeutic and adverse outcomes of psychedelics and for translating those findings into clinical and harm-reduction contexts.
Gonzalo Ona
Clinical Researcher in Psychedelic Psychopharmacology
Notable for epidemiological and clinical research on ayahuasca use, safety and wellbeing outcomes, and exploratory pharmacological work on 5‑MeO‑DMT and psychedelic interactions.
Johannes Ramaekers
Professor of Psychopharmacology
Leading expert in behavioral toxicology and the impact of psychoactive substances on human performance and cognition.
Amanda Feilding
Executive Director and Founder
Innocative figure in psychedelic research and founder of the Beckley Foundation.
Kim Kuypers
Associate Professor of Psychopharmacology
Kuypers is a leading figure in psychedelic research, particularly in understanding the effects of psychedelics on pain perception and mental health.
Nathalie Mason
Clinical Researcher
Notable for experimental and early-phase clinical studies characterising the subjective, physiological and potential therapeutic effects of classical psychedelics and novel tryptamines in humans.
James Guss
Clinical Researcher and Psychotherapist
A prominent contributor to contemporary clinical and qualitative research on psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy, particularly in cancer-related psychiatric and existential distress and therapist training/integration.
Jordan Aday
Clinical Researcher
Notable for conducting naturalistic and survey-based studies characterising psychological, social and therapeutic effects of ayahuasca and other psychedelic practices, and for examining practitioner behaviour and treatment-access issues in the psychedelic field.
Kevin Boehnke
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology; Associate Director of the Michigan Psychedelic Center
Notable for contributions to naturalistic and survey-based research on psychedelic use, including attitudes toward treatment cost and non-hallucinogenic alternatives, substance-use changes after psychedelic experiences, and psychedelic use among patient groups such as people with fibromyalgia.
Pamela Kryskow
Clinical Instructor, Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia; Adjunct Professor at Vancouver Island University; Medical Lead at Roots to Thrive
She is a physician-researcher contributing to clinical and observational research on psychedelic-assisted therapy, microdosing, and chronic pain, helping build the evidence base for emerging psychedelic medicine.
George Mashour
Professor of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology at the University of Michigan; Founding Director of the Michigan Psychedelic Center
He is a leading neuroscientist in psychedelic and consciousness research whose work bridges basic neurobiology, human neuroimaging, and clinical translation.
Connected Evidence
The latest clinical data and verified academic findings associated with Fibromyalgia.