PSYCHEDELIC HEALING

Psychedelics have been studied in connection with mental health for decades. Now they are being looked at as a potential treatment for TBI.

BY GEORGE PLATT

A psychedelic experience is a temporary altered state of consciousness induced by the consumption of a serotonergic psychedelic substance. For example, an acid trip is a psychedelic experience brought on by the use of LSD, while a mushroom trip is a psychedelic experience brought on by the use of psilocybin. Psychedelic experiences are induced in many contexts including exploratory, recreational, religious, and mystical. However, science is beginning to recognize the therapeutic benets of these substances in the treatment of TBI.

THE CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS

Several psychedelic compounds are being studied as treatments for TBI. Two that are at the forefront of this research are psilocybin and ibogaine. Psilocybin is one of the many compounds found in magic mushrooms (aka psilocybin mushrooms or psychedelic mushrooms). It is a prodrug (a biologically inactive compound which can be metabolized in the body to produce a drug) of psilocin, the main compound responsible for the psychedelic effect of magic mushooms. Ibogaine, which is extracted from the iboga shrub, was used by West African communities for centuries in both rituals and healing ceremonies. This psychedelic did not make its way into the Western world until 1864. In 1970, the FDA classifie ibogaine as a Schedule I drug alongside other psychoactive drugs such as psilocybin and LSD. However, in recent years — with the resurgence of psychedelics in therapeutic research — the regulatory landscape is once again becoming more favorable. “Ibogaine could be crucial for the treatment of brain trauma and neuropathic pain.” says a spokesperson for MINDCURE, a mental health and wellness company. “The substance has been thought to stimulate the growth of new dopamine neurons and repair and reset the brain’s reward system.”

THE COMPANIES BEHIND THE RESEARCH

Many companies and organizations are researching psychedelics for the treatment of TBI. MINDCURE recently announced its efforts towads researching psychedelics for the treatment of TBIs. The company identified opportunities for th treatment of traumatic brain injuries using ibogaine. Leading the charge for MINDCURE’s trauma and head injury research is Dr. Engle, Board Certified in Psychiatry and Neuology, with a clinical practice that combines functional medicine, integrative psychiatry, and neuro-cognitive restoration. He is also the author of the book The Concussion Repair Manual. Dr. Engle calls this era in brain health a “psychedelic renaissance in the redemption of modern psychiatric care.” In other words, this is where the market is headed. Not only are there more decriminalization efforts being made against psychedelics, bu we also see increased FDA approvals for its therapeutic use, as well as renowned hospitals like Johns Hopkins launching psychedelic research. Wesana Health is a private life sciences company that has announced plans for TBI research. CEO Dennis Carcillo is a former National Hockey League player. Throughout his NHL career, Carcillo sustained several TBIs. As the cumulative toll from these injuries increased, Carcillo sought treatment but nothing seemed to work. “I thought I was hopeless because I tried everything. I read every paper. And I couldn’t help myself. That’s when suicidal ideation crept in for the first time in m life. It got really scary.” said Carcillo. “After my first effort self-medicating with psilocybin, I felt like the brain fog and fatigue started to lift. It just got better progressively as the days went on.” After six months, Carcillo was told his brain scans showed noticeable improvement. Today, as Wesana’s CEO, Carcillo wants to bring psilocybin-based relief to other TBI suffeers, but via licensed-and-approved drugs, and alongside formal psychotherapy.

FROM MENTAL HEALTH TO BRAIN HEALTH

It has been well established that psychedelics have the potential to help psychiatric patients. “Psychedelic compounds have the potential to bring significant impovement to the lives of many individuals suffering fom mental illness,” said Brian Barnett, M.D., Center for Behavioral Health, the Cleveland Clinic.

The movement from psychedelics for mental health symptoms to psychedelics for overall brain health seems obvious and researchers have been looking at this progression for decades. For example, the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine opened the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research in Baltimore. “Our scientists have shown that psychedelics have real potential as medicine, and this new center will help us explore that potential,” Paul B. Rothman, M.D., dean of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine, said on the Center’s website. With $17 million in funding from private donors, the Center is the firs research center of its kind in the U.S. and the largest such center in the world.

Although more research is needed, it seems clear that science is working towards and possibly close to harnessing psychedelics for good and TBI patients will certainly benefit.