Single dose of psilocybin improves depressive symptoms in Phase 2 study
The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update – October 30, 2023
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
A single 25mg dose of psilocybin, a potent hallucinogen, significantly improved depressive symptoms in major depressive disorder patients, outperforming placebo. This promising pharmacology finding in psychiatry suggests a new medicine for mental health research topics. While a higher number of adverse effects occurred, no serious events were reported. Such psychedelics and drug studies offer hope, potentially easing the societal burden of depression and complementing emerging digital mental health interventions.
Abstract
A single 25‐mg dose of psilocybin administered with psychological support led to significant and sustained improvement in depressive symptoms compared with placebo in a Phase 2 study of patients with major depressive disorder. A higher number of adverse events occurred in the psilocybin group, but no serious treatment‐emergent adverse events were reported. Study results were published online Aug. 31, 2023, in JAMA .