Rewiring the Brain: Can Psilocybin Help Stroke Survivors Recover?
This article examines the groundbreaking research being conducted at Johns Hopkins University on the use of psilocybin to help patients recover from chronic stroke.
For individuals who have suffered a stroke, the window for recovery is often thought to be limited. However, a pioneering new clinical trial at Johns Hopkins is investigating whether psilocybin, a psychedelic compound, can reopen the brain's capacity for neuroplasticity and improve motor function in chronic stroke patients. This article will explore the details of this first-of-its-kind study, the preclinical research that supports it, and the potential for psychedelics to revolutionize stroke rehabilitation. We will delve into the science of how psilocybin may promote brain repair and discuss the implications of this research for the future of neurological recovery.
For the millions of people who suffer a stroke each year, the path to recovery can be long and arduous. While physical therapy can help patients regain lost function, the brain's natural window for healing and rewiring is often thought to close within the first few months after the event. This can leave many stroke survivors with persistent disabilities that impact their quality of life. But what if there was a way to reopen that window? To reboot the brain's capacity for change and create new pathways for recovery? This is the tantalizing possibility being explored in a groundbreaking new clinical trial at Johns Hopkins University, where researchers are investigating whether psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in "magic mushrooms," can help stroke survivors heal.
The study, officially titled "Psychedelic Healing: Adjunct Therapy Harnessing Opened Malleability (PHATHOM)," is the first of its kind to test the safety and efficacy of psilocybin in patients with chronic stroke [1]. This Phase 1 trial is designed to determine whether a single dose of psilocybin, administered in a controlled and supportive setting, can enhance the brain's natural ability to repair itself, a process known as neuroplasticity. The researchers hope that by temporarily increasing the brain's flexibility, psilocybin may help stroke patients make greater gains in their physical therapy and regain more of their lost motor function [3].
The scientific rationale for this innovative trial is rooted in a growing body of preclinical research that suggests psychedelics may have powerful neuro-regenerative properties. A 2024 study published in BMC Neuroscience found that psilocybin had a significant neuroprotective effect in a rat model of stroke [2]. The researchers discovered that psilocybin not only reduced the area of brain damage caused by the stroke but also improved the rats' locomotor behavior. The study identified a key mechanism behind these effects: the regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that plays a crucial role in the growth, survival, and plasticity of neurons [2]. By boosting BDNF levels, psilocybin appears to create a more fertile environment for the brain to heal and form new connections.
This concept of psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity is at the heart of the current excitement around these compounds. A 2025 review in the journal Brain highlighted the untapped potential of psychedelics for improving stroke recovery, noting their unique ability to modulate neuroplasticity and promote the formation of new neural pathways [4]. The authors suggest that the combination of psilocybin's rapid antidepressant effects and its ability to enhance brain plasticity could be particularly beneficial for stroke patients, who often struggle with depression and a lack of motivation during their rehabilitation [4]. By improving mood and reopening the brain to change, psilocybin may help patients engage more fully in their therapy and achieve better outcomes. The potential of this research has not gone unnoticed by the biotechnology industry. Rose Hill Life Sciences, a company focused on developing therapies for neurological disorders, has entered into an exclusive license agreement with Johns Hopkins to support the development of psilocybin for post-stroke motor function restoration [5]. This partnership underscores the growing commercial interest in psychedelics and the belief that they may hold the key to treating a wide range of neurological conditions that have so far proven resistant to conventional therapies.
Of course, the use of a powerful psychedelic in a vulnerable patient population like stroke survivors raises important questions about safety and tolerability. The Johns Hopkins trial is designed with these concerns in mind, with a primary focus on evaluating the safety of psilocybin in this context [1]. The researchers will be closely monitoring participants for any adverse effects and will be using a range of measures to assess the drug's impact on cardiovascular and neurological function. The findings from this Phase 1 trial will be crucial for determining whether it is safe to proceed with larger, more definitive studies on the efficacy of psilocybin for stroke recovery.
If this research proves successful, it could represent a paradigm shift in how we approach stroke rehabilitation. By harnessing the brain's own capacity for healing, psychedelic-assisted therapy could offer new hope to millions of stroke survivors around the world. The journey from the laboratory to the clinic is still long, but the Johns Hopkins trial is a critical first step toward unlocking the potential of psilocybin to mend the mind and restore the body after a stroke. It is a powerful reminder that even in the face of devastating neurological injury, the brain's capacity for change may be greater than we ever imagined.
References
[1] ClinicalTrials.gov. (2025, July 8). Psychedelic Healing: Adjunct Therapy Harnessing Opened Malleability (PHATHOM). https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07053917
[2] Yu, S. J., Wu, K. J., Wang, Y. S., Bae, E., Chianelli, F., Bambakidis, N., & Wang, Y. (2024). Neuroprotective effects of psilocybin in a rat model of stroke. BMC Neuroscience, 25(1), 49. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12868-024-00903-x
[3] HIT Consultant. (2025, June 4). Johns Hopkins Launches First Psilocybin Trial for Stroke Recovery. https://hitconsultant.net/2025/06/04/johns-hopkins-launches-first-psilocybin-trial-for-stroke-recovery/[
4] Yang, Y., Li, Y., & Chen, J. (2025). Harnessing psychedelics for stroke recovery: therapeutic potential and mechanisms. Brain, 148(6), 1862-1864. https://academic.oup.com/brain/article-abstract/148/6/1862/8052899
[5] GlobeNewswire. (2025, June 3). Rose Hill Life Sciences Executes Exclusive License Agreement with Johns Hopkins University for Restoration of Motor Function Post-Neurological Injury Using Psychedelics. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/06/03/3092767/0/en/Rose-Hill-Life-Sciences-Executes-Exclusive-License-Agreement-with-Johns-Hopkins-University-for-Restoration-of-Motor-Function-Post-Neurological-Injury-Using-Psychedelics.html
Disclaimer: Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy has not been approved by any regulatory agencies in the United States, and the safety and efficacy are still not formally established at the time of this writing.