Longevity & AgingPsilocybin Extends Lifespan in Aged Mice and Delays Cellular Senescence
Researchers at Emory University and Baylor College of Medicine report the first experimental evidence that psilocybin and its active metabolite psilocin have geroprotective effects. In human fibroblasts, continuous psilocin treatment extended cellular lifespan by 29–57% depending on dose, delayed senescence, preserved telomere length, reduced oxidative stress, and upregulated SIRT1. In aged (19-month) female mice treated monthly with psilocybin for 10 months, survival was 80% versus 50% in vehicle controls. Psilocybin-treated mice also showed visible improvements in fur quality. These findings suggest psilocybin may act on multiple hallmarks of aging beyond its known neurological effects.
