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Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Biomarkers in an Animal Model for Revealing Neural, Hematologic, and Behavioral Correlates of PTSD
Published on: October 10, 2012
Mechanisms of psilocybin on the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder
Charles Choi1, Danica E Johnson2,3, David Chen-Li2,3
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Abstract:
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that can develop after a traumatic event, causing distressing symptoms, including intrusive re-experiencing symptoms, alterations in mood and cognition, and changes in arousal and reactivity. Few treatment options exist for patients who find conventional psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy to be inaccessible, ineffective, or intolerable. We explore psilocybin as a potential treatment option for PTSD by examining the neurobiology of PTSD as well as psilocybin's mechanism of action. Based on both pharmacodynamic and psychoanalytic principles, psilocybin may be an underexplored treatment option for patients with PTSD, though further research is required.
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