J Psychiatr Res
March 14, 2025
Aron Amaev, Jianmeng Song, Yasaman Kambari et al.
8 citations
Psychedelic-assisted therapy produces sustained reductions in death anxiety and state and trait anxiety among people facing life-threatening illness. A meta-analysis of five randomized controlled trials found that serotonergic psychedelic therapy, which acts more rapidly than antidepressants, decreased both the fear of death and the transient and chronic anxiety that accompany serious disease. The analysis used the State Trait Anxiety Inventory to measure anxiety in the context of life-threatening illness. These results highlight psychedelic therapy as a promising alternative to limited existing treatments such as psychotherapy and antidepressant drugs. Future research should test whether these benefits extend to illness anxiety disorder and somatic symptom disorders.
Medical Hypotheses
April 5, 2023
Jianmeng Song, Yasaman Kambari, Aron Amaev et al.
2 citations
No Summary
Biological Psychiatry
April 10, 2023
Aron Amaev, Jianmeng Song, Yasaman Kambari et al.
1 citation
No Summary
Alzheimer s & Dementia
December 1, 2025
Danielle Bukovsky, Aron Amaev, Jianmeng Song et al.
In a small pilot sample of two older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment and three healthy controls, two doses of 25 mg psilocybin given one week apart were safe and well tolerated, with no unexpected or serious adverse events. Expected side effects included dizziness and altered perception, all of which resolved without lasting effects. This double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study uses PET imaging to measure psilocybin's effect on synaptic density in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, and whether changes relate to improved cognition. Preliminary findings support the feasibility of investigating psilocybin in supervised medical settings as a potential treatment for amnestic mild cognitive impairment.
Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
October 23, 2025
Danielle Bukovsky, Aron Amaev, Jianmeng Song et al.
A systematic review of 42 clinical studies involving 1,068 participants found that psilocybin, when administered in controlled settings, has a favorable safety profile. Common adverse events included headache, transient increases in blood pressure, and nausea, which typically resolved on their own. Serious adverse events were reported infrequently, in only 2 of the 42 studies, and were limited to participants with underlying depressive disorders, such as suicidal behavior or hospitalization. All studies had a high risk of bias due to concerns regarding blinding. The review provides an outline of common and uncommon adverse events, serious adverse events, and considerations for future protocols.