Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
January 27, 2022
Ciarán Martin Fitzpatrick, B. Anderson, Gabrielle Agin-Liebes et al.
1 citation
A case report described a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder whose symptoms lessened after consuming psilocybin-containing mushrooms. The report prompted a letter arguing that psychedelic research has moved beyond case studies and that journals should prioritize publishing clinical trials over case reports.
February 11, 2026
Sarah Shnayder, Gabrielle Agin-Liebes, Troy Hubert et al.
preprint
In people with treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), greater mystical-type experiences during psilocybin sessions—especially feelings of unity, sacredness, and transcendence—were linked to lower OCD symptom severity at 1-week and 12-week follow-ups, even after accounting for baseline severity and treatment condition. The Mystical subscale of the Mystical Experience Questionnaire showed the strongest and most consistent associations. The Space–Time subscale was related to lower OCD severity only at 12 weeks. Positive mood, ineffability, and challenging experiences were not significantly tied to post-treatment OCD severity. These results suggest that the quality of subjective experience during psilocybin sessions may help optimize treatment outcomes.
January 15, 2026
Benjamin Kelmendi, Thomas G. Adams, Terence H. W. Ching et al.
preprint
A single dose of psilocybin (0.25 mg/kg) produced rapid and sustained reductions in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms among adults with treatment-resistant OCD. In a randomized, double-blind trial, 28 adults received either psilocybin or niacin (250 mg). At 48 hours, OCD severity scores dropped by about 10 points more in the psilocybin group than in the niacin group, a large effect. At one week, 69% of psilocybin participants achieved a clinically meaningful response, compared with none in the niacin group. Benefits lasted through 12 weeks. One serious adverse event occurred. Open-label psilocybin given later also reduced symptoms. The findings suggest psilocybin may offer a new treatment approach for treatment-resistant OCD, but larger confirmatory trials are needed.