Grant: Project Grant

Chronic neuropathic pain is a debilitating condition that causes shooting, burning and stabbing sensations that are often constant and unrelenting in severity. The impact of these symptoms on mood, sleep and quality of life has been shown to be more significant than other chronic pain conditions, with 17% of patients with neuropathic pain rating their condition worse than death. Unfortunately, there are few treatment options available for individuals suffering with the condition. While several medications and guidelines for treatment exist, the majority of patients either do not respond or have side effects that prevent their use. Therefore, there is a desperate need for new therapies to treat neuropathic pain. Psilocybin, the active component of "magic mushrooms" has shown possible therapeutic benefit in a range of mental health conditions including depression and substance use disorders. Preliminary evidence also supports the potential of psilocybin to alleviate chronic pain. However, there have not been rigorous scientific studies investigating psilocybin's effectiveness in alleviating chronic neuropathic pain. We propose to conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial addressing this question which will guide the development of a larger study. A total of 30 patients will be randomized in a 1:1 manner to receive a single dose psilocybin or dextromethorphan (placebo) in combination with psychotherapy. Participants will be followed-up for three months after their treatment to assess longer term effects of the intervention.