Psilocybin treatment extends cellular lifespan and improves survival of aged mice

2025/07/08 by Kosuke Kato, Jennifer Kleinhenz, Yoon-Joo Shin +3 · 1 voice · 3 citations
Psychology · Chemistry · Neuroscience · #Psychedelics and Drug Studies #Chemical synthesis and alkaloids #Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

paper · pdf · doi:10.1038/s41514-025-00244-x

Abstract

Psilocybin, the naturally occurring psychedelic compound produced by hallucinogenic mushrooms, has received attention due to considerable clinical evidence for its therapeutic potential to treat various psychiatric and neurodegenerative indications. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain enigmatic, and few studies have explored its systemic impacts. We provide the first experimental evidence that psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin) treatment extends cellular lifespan and psilocybin treatment promotes increased longevity in aged mice, suggesting that psilocybin may be a potent geroprotective agent.

Citations

• Acute psychological and physiological effects of psilocybin in healthy humans: a double-blind, placebo-controlled dose?effect study

Cited by

• Edible mushrooms as emerging biofactories for natural therapeutics and oral biopharmaceutical delivery. [europepmc]
• Psilocybin and human longevity. [europepmc]
• Psilocybin in Older Adults: Therapeutic Opportunities in Inflammation-Driven Disorders of Aging-From Depression to Neurodegeneration. [europepmc]

Discussions

• Well, I ain't no kid, so maybe all the mushrooms I've done in my life account for how good I look for my age. 😹 Abstract below. #psychedelics #psilocybin #psilocin #aging doi.org/10.1038/s415... [bsky, 3 points, 1 comments]

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