APHP, Paul Brousse Hospital, Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, Villejuif F-94800, France; Unité de Recherche Psychiatrie-Comorbidités-Addictions - PSYCOMADD - Paris Saclay University, Île-de-France, France.
2 papers in the library · 36 citations · publishing 0-2025
A meta-analysis of studies on psychedelic-assisted therapies found a significant positive correlation between the intensity of mystical experiences and clinical improvement across all diagnoses (r = .33). The association was stronger for mood disorders (r = .41) than for addictions (r = .19), and greater in protocol-based clinical settings (r = .50) than in naturalistic use (r = .14). Prospective designs showed stronger correlations (r = .43) than retrospective designs (r = .14). The intensity of psychedelic experiences is reliably associated with therapeutic outcomes, especially for mood disorders, and controlled environments and therapeutic support strengthen this relationship.
Ibogaine, a psychedelic compound distinct from psilocybin or LSD, has attracted interest for treating substance use and psychiatric disorders, but clinical evidence remains weak. A narrative review of studies from 1990 to 2025 found 24 studies and 38 case reports. Most positive efficacy data come from uncontrolled, open-label, or retrospective studies with high risk of bias. No double-blind randomized controlled trial has shown ibogaine or its metabolite noribogaine to effectively treat opioid use disorder. One small trial reported significant effects for cocaine use disorder. Observational data suggest possible symptom relief for opioid use disorder, PTSD, or polysubstance dependence, but findings are exploratory. Serious adverse events, especially cardiotoxicity from QT prolongation, pose considerable risk given unproven efficacy. Current evidence is insufficient to support clinical use.