Psychedelic and nutraceutical interventions as therapeutic strategies for military-related mild traumatic brain injuries.

Abstract

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), also referred to as concussion, is an acquired brain injury that is common in the military. mTBI results in alterations to brain function that are underpinned by a cascade of neuropathological and neurometabolic events that can result in excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, edema, neuroinflammation, and cell death. To date, traditional pharmaceutical therapies have been used with limited success to treat mTBI, leading to interest in the potential for psychedelic and nutraceutical therapies to alleviate the deleterious pathological sequelae that follow neurotrauma. An accumulating body of evidence supports research into the use of classic psychedelics and nutraceutical interventions for treating mTBI and concussion. This article highlights pre-clinical and clinical studies that show classic psychedelics are promising pharmacological interventions for mTBI because of their potent neuroplastic properties - including synaptogenesis and large-scale re-wiring, anti-inflammatory effects, and modulatory properties - on neural excitation and inhibition. The addition of nutraceutical interventions could also hasten recovery and improve general functioning along the spectrum from mild acute injury to long-term chronic issues (e.g., persistent post-concussive symptoms) and, potentially, to other forms of neurodegenerative disorders after neurotrauma and repetitive head injury.

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