Control group improvement lower in psilocybin trials for depression
The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update October 10, 2025 DOI: 10.1002/pu.31371 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA meta-analysis of 17 randomized trials found that control group improvement rates in depression studies were lower in psilocybin trials compared to studies of esketamine or an SSRI. This suggests that psilocybin's overall efficacy for treating depression might be overestimated.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Meta-analysis Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 17 |
| Population | Participants in randomized trials of depression treatments |
| Topics | Depression Psilocybin Serotonin |
| Keywords | Depression economics Serotonin reuptake inhibitor Randomized controlled trial Clinical trial |
| Key finding | Control group improvement rates in depression studies were lower in psilocybin trials than in esketamine or SSRI trials, suggesting psilocybin's efficacy may be overestimated. |
Abstract
A meta‐analysis comprising 17 randomized trials has found that rates of control group improvement in depression studies were lower in psilocybin trials than in studies of esketamine or a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). The results suggest that psilocybin's overall efficacy in the treatment of depression might be overestimated.