Dr. Erin E. Mauney, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Tufts University and researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital, is pioneering the first clinical trial to examine psilocybin's effects on treatment-resistant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This groundbreaking study marks an innovative convergence between psychedelic medicine and gastroenterology, potentially transforming treatment for millions suffering from intractable IBS.
The research addresses a critical gap in medicine: the substantial population of IBS patients who find no relief through conventional therapies. Dr. Mauney's work explores how psilocybin modulates interoception—the brain's perception of internal bodily sensations—and influences gut-brain communication pathways.
Novel Therapeutic Approach
The study protocol involves administering two doses of psilocybin integrated with structured therapeutic sessions before and after dosing. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is leveraged to capture dynamic neurobiological changes, offering unprecedented insight into the neural circuits implicated in symptom modulation.
"I became very interested in the applicability of this emerging field of psychedelic-assisted medicine to patients who seem to be at war with their bodies," Dr. Mauney explains. Her approach recognizes that many patients with severe, unexplained somatic symptoms have experienced significant trauma, particularly in early life.
Central to Dr. Mauney's hypothesis is the concept that IBS and related disorders may result from "somatic encoding" of early-life trauma, where adverse experiences imprint themselves on the body's physiological systems and nervous pathways. This paradigm invites a shift beyond symptomatic treatment toward addressing root psychosomatic causes.
Bridging the Mind-Body Divide
Dr. Mauney emphasizes that traditional medical disciplines often maintain a "schism between mind and body," particularly evident in gastroenterology where psychological and physiological symptoms are inseparably intertwined yet frequently treated in isolation. Her research aims to bridge this divide by deploying an integrative method combining patient-reported outcomes—such as detailed abdominal pain scores—with qualitative narrative accounts and high-resolution neuroimaging data.
This dual approach captures both subjective healing experiences and objective neurological correlates, potentially establishing a new model for evaluating functional somatic syndromes. The methodology combines quantitative measures with qualitative patient reflections and neuroimaging data to capture both the subjective experience of healing and objective biological changes.
Research Origins and Development
Dr. Mauney's journey into psychedelic research began during the COVID-19 pandemic when intellectual curiosity sparked by Michael Pollan's book "How to Change Your Mind" catalyzed her engagement with the therapeutic potential of psychedelics. Leveraging her background in bacteriology and clinical pediatric gastroenterology, she integrated a translational research perspective.
Her mentorship under leading neuroscientists specializing in psychedelics and neurointestinal health at Massachusetts General Hospital, including Dr. Franklin King at the Center for the Neuroscience of Psychedelics and Dr. Brad Kuo at the Center for Neurointestinal Health, provided critical interdisciplinary expertise that shaped the study's methodology and theoretical framework.
Mechanistic Understanding
Psilocybin, with its known capacity to disrupt entrenched neural patterns and facilitate emotional processing, could recalibrate the maladaptive neurobiological signatures that perpetuate chronic gastrointestinal distress. The inclusion of fMRI imaging to delineate psychedelics' modulatory effects on brain-gut networks bolsters the mechanistic understanding necessary to transition these therapies into standard clinical practice.
The innovative nature of this investigation challenges clinical paradigms by proposing that psychedelic therapy can serve as a catalyst—not merely for symptom suppression—but for facilitating profound psychological and physiological recalibration. By potentially "unlocking" somatically encoded trauma, such treatments may enable a restorative process capable of achieving sustained functional recovery.
Broader Implications
While Dr. Mauney's current trial focuses on adult subjects with severe IBS, her pediatric background roots her broader vision in early intervention and trauma-informed care. She highlights systemic societal challenges, including childhood obesity and health inequities, particularly the insufficient alignment of public policies around nutrition, urban planning, and psychosocial support.
Dr. Mauney's personal philosophy deeply informs her scientific approach; she stresses the importance of cultivating authentic, compassionate relationships with patients. This ethos reflects a commitment to treating individuals as whole persons rather than isolated symptom clusters. When asked about her greatest passion, Dr. Mauney responds: "Restoring humanity to the practice of medicine."
Future Directions
Looking ahead, the scalability of psychedelic-assisted treatments is a key focus. Dr. Mauney envisions refining protocols to facilitate wider accessibility in clinical settings, thus offering hope to the millions globally with treatment-refractory IBS. As psychedelics gain increasing regulatory acceptance and enter late-stage clinical trials across multiple psychiatric and neurological conditions, her work situates gastroenterology at the cutting edge of this therapeutic renaissance.
This study also prompts broader consideration of whether other medical specialties facing treatment-resistant disorders—such as chronic pain syndromes, autoimmune conditions, or neurodevelopmental disorders—could benefit from similar integrative, trauma-informed psychedelic interventions. Dr. Mauney's research pioneers a new frontier that transcends disciplinary boundaries, suggesting future multidisciplinary bridges between psychiatry, immunology, neurology, and internal medicine.
