Science Discovers Protective Effect Of Psychedelics On The Brain During Trauma

Recent studies suggest that classic psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin, may help reduce the effects of post-traumatic stress. A study of survivors of a terrorist attack showed that those under the influence of these substances experienced less anxiety and traumatic symptoms weeks later, indicating that psychedelics may positively influence how the brain processes traumatic memories.

In recent years, scientists and physicians have turned their attention to psychedelic compounds, substances that alter perception, mood, and thoughts, as potential allies in the treatment of mental disorders, especially post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

This disorder can arise after experiencing extremely traumatic experiences, such as wars, accidents, or violent attacks, and manifests itself through intrusive memories, intense anxiety, insomnia, and other symptoms that profoundly impair a person's quality of life.

Although psychedelics are being studied enthusiastically, it is still poorly understood how exactly these substances act on the brain to reduce or prevent these symptoms. An important way to understand this is to investigate how these drugs affect the way traumatic memories are formed at the time of trauma.

A recent study, conducted by researchers at Reichman University in Israel, explored precisely this question in a unique way. It analyzed the cases of 343 adults who survived a major terrorist attack during a festival.

What makes this particular situation interesting to the researchers is that, at the time of the attack, these people were in different mental states: some had consumed so-called "classical" psychedelics, such as LSD or psilocybin (the active ingredient in certain mushrooms), others had used MDMA (also known as ecstasy), and a portion of the group had not consumed any psychedelic substance.

Three weeks after the attack, scientists interviewed these survivors to assess their anxiety levels and the trauma-related symptoms they had developed since then.

The results showed something striking: those who were under the influence of classic psychedelics at the time of the attack had significantly lower levels of stress and traumatic symptoms compared to the other groups. In other words, these people seemed to have been somehow "protected" from the lasting mental effects of trauma.

Another important finding observed in the study was that this protective effect of classic psychedelics was stronger in people who had not used recreational drugs other than psychedelics.

This suggests that the benefit may be directly linked to the effects of these specific substances on the brain, rather than to a combination of drugs or widespread recreational use.

These findings are important because they indicate that classic psychedelics can directly influence how the brain records and stores traumatic experiences, possibly reducing the intensity with which these memories affect the person in the future.

In more technical terms, this means that classic psychedelics, such as psilocybin and LSD, appear to interact with specific receptors in the brain, especially the 5-HT2A serotonin receptors, which are linked to perception, emotional processing, and memory formation.

During a traumatic event, these compounds can directly influence how the brain records and consolidates the lived experience, making the memory of the trauma less intense or emotionally charged.

This modulation may explain why people under the influence of psychedelics during the event reported fewer symptoms of stress and anxiety later, suggesting a possible protective effect of these substances during the encoding of traumatic memories.

While more research is needed to fully understand how these effects work and ensure the safety of the therapeutic use of psychedelics, this study offers a promising window: perhaps, in the future, these substances could be used under medical supervision to help prevent or treat disorders such as post-traumatic stress in people exposed to extremely stressful events.

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Peri-traumatic consumption of classic psychedelics is associated with lower anxiety and post-traumatic responses 3 weeks after exposure

Einat Karp Barnir, Zohar Rubinstein, Rany Abend, Shaul Lev-Ran, Lia Naor, and Mario Mikulincer 

Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2025; 0 (0).

https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811251334

Abstract:

Emerging evidence indicates the therapeutic potential of psychedelic compounds for post-traumatic stress, yet the mechanisms mediating their effects remain unclear. Delineating the effect of psychedelics on traumatic memory formation could shed light on target therapeutic mechanisms. Here, we report on 343 adult survivors of a single, large-scale terrorist attack taking place during a festival in which different psychedelic compounds were consumed, in whom levels of anxiety and post-traumatic symptoms were assessed 3 weeks following the attack. Findings indicated that those who were under the influence of classic psychedelics during the attack reported significantly lower levels of anxiety and post-traumatic responses compared to those who were under the influence of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and those who consumed no psychedelics. Furthermore, the protective effects of classic psychedelics for post-traumatic responses manifested more strongly among participants who did not consume additional recreational substances alongside psychedelics. These findings suggest that pharmacologic targets of classic psychedelics may modulate the formation of enduring trauma memories and confer a protective effect against the development of post-traumatic stress and anxiety responses.