09/05/2026
In a breakthrough study, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discovered that psilocybin given before chemotherapy prevented the onset of nerve injury in preclinical models (not tested on humans yet), even after repeated treatment cycles. The findings could help prevent pain, numbness and other common chemotherapy side effects.
The researchers discovered that psilocybin directly affects the peripheral nervous system through serotonin 5-HT2A receptors. In preclinical models, as few as two doses of psilocybin given before chemotherapy prevented hypersensitivity to cold, protected sensory nerve endings and preserved touch sensation while also maintaining chemotherapy's antitumor activity.
These results were consistent even when models were given repeated chemotherapy cycles with cisplatin, paclitaxel and docetaxel.
Additionally, researchers found that cisplatin depleted mitochondria—the structures that produce energy inside cells—and reduced their movement inside nerve fibers. Further, psilocybin activated a specific signaling pathway that preserved mitochondrial trafficking after chemotherapy, maintaining adequate energy levels at nerve endings.
"Psilocybin does more than reduce pain signals by protecting the nerves themselves through energy delivery," Dougherty said. "This neuroprotective effect could help patients withstand the stress of chemotherapy, maintaining sensation, mobility and quality of life during treatment and long into survivorship."
Quote from Medicalxpress.com
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aec6116
