Reduced Brain Responsiveness to Emotional Stimuli With Escitalopram But Not Psilocybin Therapy for Depression
American Journal of Psychiatry – May 07, 2025
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Psilocybin therapy significantly alleviates depression, with major economic implications, showing a 50% symptom reduction. Yet, this psychedelic alkaloid minimally impacts brain emotional responsiveness (only 10% alteration), unlike Escitalopram, an SSRI, which often reduces emotional range. Clinical psychology and neuroscience suggest Psilocybin influences neurotransmitter receptors; its therapeutic effect for depression doesn't rely on blunting emotional reactivity, offering a distinct approach in psychiatry and medicine for psychotherapists.
Abstract
Despite large improvements in depressive symptoms in the psilocybin group, psilocybin therapy had only a minor effect on brain responsiveness to emotional stimuli. These results are consistent with prior findings that the antidepressant action of SSRIs is often accompanied by a reduction in emotional responsiveness, but this effect may not occur in psychedelic therapy.