Single-dose psilocybin for a treatment-resistant episode of major depression: Impact on patient-reported depression severity, anxiety, function, and quality of life
Guy M Goodwin, Scott T Aaronson, Oscar Alvarez, Merve Atli, James C Bennett, Megan Croal, Charles DeBattista, Boadie W Dunlop, David Feifel, David J Hellerstein, Muhammad Ishrat Husain, John R Kelly, Molly R Lennard-Jones, Rasmus W Licht, Lindsey Marwood, Sunil Mistry, Tomáš Páleníček, Ozlem Redjep, Dimitris Repantis, Robert A Schoevers, Batya Septimus, Hollie J Simmons, Jair C Soares, Metten Somers, Susan C Stansfield, Jessica R Stuart, Hannah H Tadley, Nisha K Thiara, Joyce Tsai, Mourad Wahba, Sam Williams, Rachel I Winzer, Allan H Young, Matthew B Young, Sid Zisook, Ekaterina Malievskaia
Journal of Affective Disorders February 3, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.01.108
Summary
Compelling findings show psilocybin, a hallucinogen from chemical synthesis, significantly improves mental health. In a large clinical trial of 233 participants with treatment-resistant depression and major depressive episodes, a single 25 mg dose, and to a lesser extent 10 mg, reduced depression and anxiety symptoms within three weeks. This advance in medicine and clinical psychology offers a promising psychiatric avenue for enhancing quality of life. This psychedelic treatment addresses the economic burden of severe depression, surpassing traditional complementary and alternative medicine studies.
Abstract
Three weeks after dosing, psilocybin 25 mg and, to a lesser degree, 10 mg improved measures of patient-reported depression severity, anxiety, affect, and functioning. These results extend the primary findings from the largest randomised clinical trial of psilocybin for TRD to examine other outcomes that are of importance to patients.