ANÁLISE TERAPÊUTICA DO USO DA PSILOCIBINA NO TRATAMENTO DA DEPRESSÃO RESISTENTE: UMA REVISÃO DE ENSAIOS CLÍNICOS RECENTES
Gabriel Bispo Do Carmo, Janaína Da Silva Feitoza Palácio, Maria Cristina de Andrade, Maria de Fátima Pessoa Militão de Albuquerque, Roberto Ramos Barbosa, Maurício Maia, Tadeu Romagnoli Neto, Ludmila Lemos Coelho Battisti, Tiago Medeiros Corrêa de Araújo, Samira Bahia E Castro, Ana Sophia Do Amaral Simões Carvalho, Maria Manuela Pereira Machado, Tatiana Lima Brasil, João Pinto Ramalho Neto, Sofia Brito Lourenço, Manuela Almeida, Juliana Da Cruz Ferreira
Aracê. June 27, 2025 DOI: 10.56238/arev7n6-309 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPsilocybin, a psychedelic substance from Psilocybe fungi, shows promise as a treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). A narrative review of seven clinical studies and systematic reviews from 2015 to 2024 found that, when given in a controlled setting with psychotherapeutic support, psilocybin produces rapid antidepressant effects with few serious side effects and lasting benefits. Neuroimaging suggests it modulates brain circuits involved in emotional regulation, supporting a psychoplastogenic mechanism. The authors conclude psilocybin is an innovative, safe, and effective strategy for refractory cases, though larger, standardized trials are needed for definitive validation.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Narrative review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 7 |
| Population | Patients with treatment-resistant depression |
| Intervention | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Medicine Psychology Electroconvulsive therapy studies |
| Key finding | Psilocybin, administered with psychotherapeutic support, produces rapid antidepressant responses in treatment-resistant depression with low incidence of serious adverse effects and sustained positive impact. |
Abstract
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) represents one of the greatest clinical challenges in contemporary psychiatry, significantly affecting patients' functionality and quality of life. Given the limitations of conventional therapies, psilocybin, a psychedelic substance derived from fungi of the Psilocybe genus, has gained prominence as a promising therapeutic alternative. This study aimed to analyze the efficacy, safety, and clinical applicability of psilocybin in the treatment of TRD, through a narrative review of the scientific literature published between 2015 and 2024. The PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases were consulted, resulting in the selection of seven clinical studies and systematic reviews. Evidence indicates that, when administered in a controlled environment and with psychotherapeutic support, psilocybin promotes rapid antidepressant responses, with a low incidence of serious adverse effects and a sustained positive impact. Neuroimaging studies also indicate the modulation of brain circuits associated with emotional regulation, reinforcing its psychoplastogenic action. It is concluded that psilocybin is an innovative, safe and effective therapeutic strategy, especially for refractory cases, although larger and more standardized clinical trials are needed for its definitive validation.