The effects of psilocybin therapy versus escitalopram on cognitive bias: A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.
European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology June 23, 2025 Jessica Henry, Bruna Giribaldi, David J Nutt et al. 1 citation
In patients with major depressive disorder, two high-dose psilocybin therapy sessions produced large increases in optimism and improvements in all three domains of dysfunctional attitudes (achievement, dependency, self-control) at six weeks, while a six-week daily course of escitalopram improved only the achievement domain and did not change optimism. Psilocybin also made patients more optimistic about desirable life events, whereas escitalopram reduced pessimism about negative life events. The findings suggest psilocybin therapy is superior to escitalopram for remediating negative cognitive biases in depression.