A living systematic review, meta-analysis and open-data resource of randomized controlled trials of psilocybin treatment for symptoms of depression
S. Parker Singleton, Brooke L. Sevchik, Analiese Lahey, Pim Cuijpers, Mathias Harrer, Megan T. Jones, Sandeep M. Nayak, Eric C. Strain, Simon N. Vandekar, Robert H. Dworkin, J. Cobb Scott, Theodore D. Satterthwaite
Nature Mental Health May 1, 2026 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1038/s44220-026-00630-8 via Springer Nature
Summary
Psilocybin treatment significantly reduces depressive symptoms, with a greater reduction in depression scores observed compared to control conditions (Hedges’ g = -0.90). This living systematic review includes data from 15 randomized controlled trials involving 801 participants, with 585 participants analyzed in the primary model. While the findings are promising, many studies included have small sample sizes or risk of bias.
Study at a glance
| Design | living systematic review and meta-analysis |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 801 |
| Population | participants from randomized controlled trials examining psilocybin treatment for depressive symptoms |
| Key finding | Psilocybin treatment results in substantial decreases in depressive symptoms compared to control conditions. |
Abstract
This study presents a living systematic review and open-data meta-analytic database from 15 randomized controlled trials examining the effects of psilocybin treatment on depressive symptoms. Existing evidence suggests that psilocybin treatment alleviates depressive symptoms. Depression is a major cause of disability worldwide, motivating interest in psilocybin as a potential treatment. Here we present a living systematic review and open-data meta-analytic resource on psilocybin treatment for depressive symptoms. In this initial release, 15 randomized controlled trials comprising 801 participants are included in the database, with 12 of those studies included in our primary model ( n = 585) using inverse-variance random-effects modeling of standardized mean differences on primary outcomes. Compared with control conditions, psilocybin showed a greater reduction in depression scores (Hedges’ g = −0.90). This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that psilocybin-assisted therapy results in substantial decreases in depressive symptoms across studies to date. However, many studies have small sample sizes or risk of bias. This living systematic review, meta-analysis, database and online dashboard ( sypres.io ) will continue to be updated as evidence emerges, providing a valuable resource for researchers in a rapidly evolving field.