Psilocybin-assisted therapy for major depressive disorder: Perspective from meta-analysis.
Journal of affective disorders August 1, 2026 Taro Kishi, Kenji Sakuma, Masakazu Hatano et al.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials examined how psilocybin's effects on major depressive disorder change over time. Standard-dose psilocybin (25 mg/session or 20-30 mg/70 kg/session) was superior to control conditions (placebo, waiting-list, niacin, or 1 mg psilocybin) in reducing depressive symptoms. Sensitivity analyses excluding waiting-list controls confirmed this benefit with reduced heterogeneity. Standard-dose psilocybin also produced higher response and remission rates at 2-3 weeks and sustained response at 6-12 weeks, and lower all-cause discontinuation. However, it was associated with more headaches and nausea within 1-9 days, which resolved. Low-dose psilocybin showed no superior efficacy. The authors suggest standard-dose psilocybin is a promising treatment but note considerable methodological heterogeneity across trials.