Participants reported highly variable motor experiences during psilocybin, with both improvements and impairments in coordination, movement and reaction time, influenced by dose and interacting cognitive, sensory and physiological factors.
This study explored subjective motor experiences in 12 healthy individuals following different doses of psilocybin (5–20 mg). Interviews identified changes in motor coordination, control, movement speed and reaction time, with eight participants reporting dose-dependent effects and most describing greater difficulty with movement at higher doses. Motor experiences were influenced by attention, motivation, sensory perception and other psychological and physiological factors. Participants also described altered consciousness, mystical-type experiences and enhanced sensory awareness. The findings highlight the complex and individual effects of psilocybin on movement, with implications for physical safety and future research into psilocybin-assisted physiotherapy.
Abstract
Introduction: Psilocybin is a naturally occurring classic psychedelic associated with widespread changes in brain function and promising therapeutic outcomes in several neuropsychiatric disorders. Complementing these findings, qualitative studies following psilocybin administration have revealed diverse and highly individual effects across multiple domains of subjective experience. However, little is known about its impacts on individuals' subjective motor experiences. With the tendency of individuals to stay stationary during psilocybin's effects, investigating qualitative motor experiences following low-to-moderate doses of psilocybin may offer novel considerations regarding safety and quality of individuals' psychedelic experiences. We aimed to explore healthy individuals' subjective experiences after receiving three different doses of psilocybin and conducting motor activity.
Methods: Following the study procedure previously published, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants who had completed sessions of motor tasks at different doses of psilocybin, which were then transcribed and thematically analyzed.
Results: Four major themes were developed, each containing sub-themes: two motor themes, (1) mixed motor messages, including altered motor coordination, control, speed, and reaction time; (2) interacting influences on motor performance, including dose-dependent effects; and two non-motor themes, (3) transcendence, altered consciousness, and transformative "mysticism"; and (4) dynamic and enhanced psychological and sensory experiences.
Conclusion: This work contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of psilocybin's multifaceted effects and their relevance to safety, therapeutic potential and future research in motor disorders. The findings will inform a broader dose-finding study and the design of proposed research on psilocybin-assisted physiotherapy for refractory motor functional neurological disorder.
Luo RR, Berlowitz DJ, Bryson A, Carter O, Bhagavan C, Kanaan R. After the Trip: A Qualitative Study of Healthy Individuals' Motor Experiences Following Different Doses of Psilocybin. Brain Behav. 2026 Oct;16(10):e71807. doi: 10.1002/brb3.71807. PMID: 42886634; PMCID: PMC13674734. Read Paper
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