Med (New York, N.Y.)
March 8, 2024
Joshua D Rosenblat, Shakila Meshkat, Zoe Doyle et al.
97 citations
Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) is feasible for patients with complex, treatment-resistant depression, including those with bipolar II disorder and baseline suicidality. In a randomized trial with 30 adults, those receiving immediate PAP showed greater reductions in depression severity (MADRS) compared to a waitlist control, with a large effect size (Hedge's g = 1.07). Adverse events were transient and no serious adverse events occurred. Repeated doses over six months were associated with further improvement. The findings suggest PAP can be safely delivered to this population and warrants further study.
Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
May 1, 2023
Elena Koning, Elisa Brietzke
13 citations
Eating disorders involve abnormal energy balance, cognitive inflexibility, and emotional distress, with few effective treatments and low long-term remission. Psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic, shows therapeutic potential for disorders marked by rigid thinking and treatment resistance. This narrative review examines the hypothesis that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy could be an effective adjunctive treatment for eating disorders, drawing on biological plausibility, transdiagnostic evidence, and preliminary results. The authors conclude that current literature does not yet support clinical use, but preliminary evidence warrants more rigorous clinical trials.
CNS spectrums
November 21, 2024
Elena Koning, Elvina M Chu, Elisa Brietzke
5 citations
Psychedelics alter consciousness and have been used for centuries by indigenous communities, but only recently studied as therapeutic tools in psychotherapy. Since the early twentieth century, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy has been explored for neuropsychiatric conditions with rigid thought patterns and treatment resistance. This emerging field has faced opposition from mid-twentieth century counterculture associations, media sensationalism, legislative restrictions, and scientific criticisms like 'breaking the blind' and 'excessive enthusiasm.' This perspective article examines that historical opposition and its implications for the field's credibility. Drawing lessons from history can aid clinical research in psychiatry amid drug policy reform.
Trends in psychiatry and psychotherapy
January 1, 2025
Elena Koning, Marco Solmi, Elisa Brietzke
4 citations
As psychedelics gain acceptance for mental health treatment, corporate funding of clinical trials raises concerns about conflicts of interest and biased reporting. The evidence for safety and efficacy of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy remains early. This paper examines safety concerns associated with psychedelics, how financial stakeholders may influence the reporting of safety outcomes, and why balanced science communication is critical for public health and safety during ongoing drug reform.
Journal of Eating Disorders
December 27, 2024
Elena Koning, Cristiano Chaves, Elisa Brietzke et al.
2 citations
Eating disorders affect 1-3% of the population, and standard treatments fail for about one third of cases. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy shows emerging evidence for improving outcomes, but limited knowledge of its neurobiological mechanisms restricts confirmation of clinical utility. This narrative review surveys methodologies—including magnetic resonance imaging, molecular neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and neuroplasticity markers—that could probe the neurobiological correlates of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in eating disorders. It describes implications of these methods for psychedelic study design, challenges, limitations, and future directions, serving as a resource for scientists designing studies to identify effective therapeutic interventions.
Trends in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
January 1, 2025
Elena Koning, Pedro Starzynski Bacchi, Cristiano Chaves et al.
Both models of psychological intervention in psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAP) may have clinical relevance for treating depression. Future research should standardize reporting of psychological interventions in PAP and use comparative study designs to better evaluate non-specific and specific treatment models, which could inform clinical guidelines.