Magic mushroom drug offers hope for Parkinson's patients
The first clinical trial to explore whether the psychedelic drug found in magic mushrooms can be used to treat Parkinson's disease has delivered exciting and unexpected early-stage results, scientists have said.
Twelve patients who were given psilocybin in a controlled setting reported improvements in mood, cognition and motor function that lasted for months. There were no serious side-effects, which means that a larger trial involving 100 more patients has been given the green light.
Parkinson's affects about 153,000 people in the UK, with symptoms including tremors, memory problems, depression and anxiety. It is caused by a loss of nerve cells in a part of the brain called the substantia nigra. This leads to a reduction in dopamine, a chemical that is key to regulating movement.
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