Efficacy and Safety of Four Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies for Adults with Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs – November 15, 2023
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Depression symptoms saw substantial relief from psychedelics, a meta-analysis of eighteen studies in clinical psychology reveals. Psilocybin therapy showed a large effect size (g = -1.92), while MDMA also significantly impacted depression (g = -0.71). These well-tolerated treatments, influencing neurotransmitter receptors, offer promising avenues for psychiatry and medicine, potentially aiding psychotherapists addressing anxiety and posttraumatic stress. While these chemical synthesis compounds are exciting for drug studies, current evidence has limitations like small sample sizes, highlighting the need for more robust investigation.
Abstract
There has been a resurgence in psychedelic research for managing psychiatric conditions in recent years. This study aimed to present a comprehensive review of the current state of the field by applying a systematic search strategy for articles on the effectiveness and tolerability of four psychedelic-assisted therapies (psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide [LSD], 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine [MDMA], and ayahuasca) for adults with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Psychometric scores and adverse events were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis models with Hedges' g bias-corrected standardized mean differences (g) and rate ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Bias evaluation followed PRISMA and Cochrane guidelines. Eighteen studies were identified, which suggested that psychedelic therapies were well tolerated and presented a large effect size for the management of depression symptoms in a transdiagnostic population with psilocybin (g = -1.92, 95% CI, -2.73 to -1.11) and MDMA (g = -0.71; 95% CI, -1.39 to -0.03). These are promising results that complement the current literature. However, evidence certainty was low to very low due to methodological limitations, small sample size, blinding, study heterogeneity, and publication bias. These results also highlight the need for more adequately powered studies exploring these novel therapies.