Psilocybin as a Treatment for Psychiatric Illness: A Meta-Analysis.
Cureus November 1, 2022 Ricardo Irizarry, Amelia Winczura, Omar Dimassi et al. 26 citations
Psilocybin shows promise for treating some psychiatric illnesses, but evidence remains mixed. A meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials found substantial heterogeneity (I² = 73.68%), meaning the studies examined different populations and results varied widely. A separate analysis of depression severity scores from three studies showed no significant heterogeneity (I² effectively 0%), allowing a fixed-effects model. Overall, psilocybin appears to produce symptom improvement in certain conditions, but the authors conclude that more research is needed to determine its efficacy and safety for psychiatric applications.