Psilocybin-assisted therapy and depression - a systematic review

A review of four clinical trials found that psilocybin-assisted therapy produced immediate and substantial improvements in depression that could last up to six months. Two of the trials involved 32 patients with treatment-resistant depression; the other two involved 80 patients with cancer-related anxiety and depression. The authors note that the small sample sizes mean future studies are needed to confirm the positive association and to fully understand psilocybin's mechanisms and effects.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Background: Psilocybin is a naturally occurring serotonin receptor agonist that can be, more commonly, found in the Psilocybe mushrooms. Consumed by indigenous cultures for millenia, Psilocybin, in the 1960s, was marketed in many countries under the trade name Indocybin, and, before its eventual ban, was safely used as an adjunct to psychotherapy in the treatment of depression and anxiety. Recently, the safety and ease of practical use of psilocybin propelled its resurrection and positive preliminary reports on the safety and tolerability of psilocybin for multiples diseases, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction, have been published. Aims: The main objective of this review is to outline existing scientific information about the effects of Psilocybin-based therapy on patients diagnosed with depression. Methods: Using PubMed as the database, a research was conducted, based on the research words *Psilocybin and *Depression and targeting clinical trials. References of selected articles and review articles were also assessed. Results: A total of 4 articles met the inclusion criteria. 2 articles evaluate psilocybin effects in 32 patients with treatment-resistant depression. The remaining 2 articles evaluate psilocybin effects in 80 patients with cancer-related anxiety and depression. All articles showed that psilocybin produced immediate and substantial improvements in depression, that, ultimately, could sustain up to 6 months. Conclusion: Psilocybin-assisted therapy is a very appealing new possibility in the treatment of depression. However, due to the small populations of the existing trials, future studies are needed to prove this positive association and to fully understand Psilocybin´s mechanisms of action and effects.