Psychedelic medicines for mood disorders: current evidence and clinical considerations
Current Opinion in Psychiatry November 15, 2021 Jerome Sarris, Diego Pinzon Rubiano, Kimberley Day et al. 12 citations
Serotonergic psychedelics, including psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD, and MDMA, show promise for treating mood disorders and PTSD, often combined with psychotherapy. Psilocybin with psychological support has been effective for depression, including treatment-resistant cases, in randomized placebo-controlled trials. LSD has shown anxiolytic effects, and MDMA has Phase III evidence for PTSD. Microdosing has not been found to improve mood in a controlled trial. Challenges remain with blinding, small sample sizes, and lack of definitive Phase III studies (except MDMA for PTSD). Further research into novel formulations, pharmacogenomics, microbiome interactions, and inflammatory pathways is needed.