Impact of Psilocybin on Motor Function in Healthy Participants: A Phase 1, Randomised, Triple-Blind, Dose-Finding Study.
Movement tasks stayed feasible and safe during psilocybin dosing up to 15 mg
Impact of Psilocybin on Motor Function in Healthy Participants: A Phase 1, Randomised, Triple-Blind, Dose-Finding Study.
Psychedelics exert widespread effects on brain activity, but their impact on motor function is unclear.
This study examined the feasibility and safety of administering movement tasks following low-to-moderate doses of psilocybin in healthy volunteers.
Participants, physiotherapists and statisticians were blinded to the dosing order.
Nausea (n = 8, 62%) and headache (n = 7, 54%) were the most common adverse events.
Median values [interquartile ranges] remained near-perfect for the de Morton Mobility Index (92.5-100.0 [85.0-100.0]), Functional Movement Exploration (100.0 [96.0-100.0]) and Action Research Arm Test (56.0-57.0 [52.0-57.0]).
Baseline Box and Block Test (Original) median scores (65.0 [60.0-67.0]) improved to 79.0 [70.0-83.0] at 5 mg and 4.5 h post-dose (5 mg-4.5 h), and worsened to 57.5 [51.0-64.0] at 20 mg-1.5 h.
Baseline Box and Block Test (Modified) median scores (48.0 [47.0-53.0]) worsened to 43.0 [35.0-45.0] at 20 mg-1.5 h.
Movement tasks were feasible during psilocybin dosing up to 15 mg. No significant safety concerns related to movement task participation during the acute drug effects were observed.
At 20 mg, impairments were observed in movement tasks that combined motor and additional cognitive functions. These findings inform future studies utilising psilocybin-assisted physical rehabilitation in clinical populations.