In this section
@article{Cardone:2025:10.1016/j.clinph.2025.02.264,
author = {Cardone, P and Núñez, P and Alnagger, NLN and Martial, C and van, der Lande GJM and Sandell, R and Carhart-Harris, R and Gosseries, O},
doi = {10.1016/j.clinph.2025.02.264},
journal = {Clin Neurophysiol},
pages = {181--189},
title = {Psilocybin for disorders of consciousness: A case-report study.},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2025.02.264},
volume = {173},
year = {2025}
}
TY - JOUR
AB - OBJECTIVE: With very few treatments available, post-comatose disorders of consciousness (DoC) pose one of the hardest challenges in modern neurology. Following promising clinical trial results in psychiatry, and a deepening understanding of their brain mechanisms, psychedelics have been suggested as a novel therapeutic drug for DoC patients, given that they increase the entropy or complexity of spontaneous activity in healthy participants. However, no attempts have been so far performed in patients with DoC. METHODS: In this case report, we describe the first-ever administration of psilocybin, a classic psychedelic (i.e., agonist at the 5-HT2A receptor), to a patient in a minimally conscious state plus. We report the behavioural effects and changes in neurophysiology measured with EEG. RESULTS: We report no increase in overt behavioural repertoire with validated scales, yet new spontaneous behaviour not previously seen, and increased brain complexity, as measured by the Lempel-Ziv complexity index, with changes in the underlying periodic rhythms. CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes to future investigations exploring the use of psychedelics in DoC, enriching the discussion surrounding the role of psychedelics in medicine, and the link between brain complexity and consciousness. SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first-ever report of a classic psychedelic used as a treatment for post-comatose DoC.
AU - Cardone,P
AU - Núñez,P
AU - Alnagger,NLN
AU - Martial,C
AU - van,der Lande GJM
AU - Sandell,R
AU - Carhart-Harris,R
AU - Gosseries,O
DO - 10.1016/j.clinph.2025.02.264
EP - 189
PY - 2025///
SP - 181
TI - Psilocybin for disorders of consciousness: A case-report study.
T2 - Clin Neurophysiol
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2025.02.264
UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/40147181
VL - 173
ER -
