Use of Psychedelic Agents in Older Adults with Treatment-Resistant Major Depressive Disorder: What the Evidence Shows.
Drugs Aging June 24, 2025 Lou Vinarcsik, Charles Smoller, George Grossberg 1 citation
Treatment-resistant major depressive disorder is common among older adults, yet few trials have tested psychedelic or dissociative agents in this group. This review examines the limited available data on ketamine, esketamine, psilocybin, and other substances such as LSD, DMT, ayahuasca, ibogaine, MDMA, and mescaline for treating depression in older adults. Standard treatments like SSRIs carry risks for this population, and psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy may offer an important alternative. Preliminary findings on safety and tolerability are promising, but insufficient data leaves concerns unresolved. Further research is crucial to establish the safety, efficacy, and applications of psychedelic therapy in older adults with treatment-resistant depression.