EClinicalMedicine
February 1, 2023
Robin von Rotz, Eva M Schindowski, Johannes Jungwirth et al.
345 citations
A single, moderate dose of psilocybin (0.215 mg/kg body weight) significantly reduced depressive symptoms compared to placebo in adults with major depressive disorder. Over two weeks, depression severity scores dropped by 13.0 points on the MADRS and 13.2 points on the BDI in the psilocybin group, with improvements significantly larger than in the placebo group. 54% of participants receiving psilocybin met remission criteria. No serious adverse events occurred. The findings suggest psilocybin offers rapid antidepressant effects, though larger, longer-term trials are needed.
EClinicalMedicine
September 24, 2020
B. Anderson, Alicia Danforth, Prof Robert Daroff et al.
271 citations
The text is a funding and support acknowledgments section listing various foundations, institutes, and government agencies that provided financial or material support for the work. It does not present any research findings, arguments, or study details.
EClinicalMedicine
August 1, 2023
166 citations
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 49 randomized controlled trials with 3,299 participants found that racemic ketamine produced larger reductions in depression severity than esketamine, both immediately after the first dose and during repeated dosing. Higher doses were more effective than lower doses. After the final dose, only racemic ketamine maintained a significant effect; esketamine did not. Dropout rates were similar between treatment and control conditions.
EClinicalMedicine
September 23, 2024
David Erritzoe, Tommaso Barba, Kyle T Greenway et al.
46 citations
In a clinical trial, psilocybin therapy showed comparable effectiveness to a common SSRI antidepressant for treating depression, with both treatments leading to significant reductions in depressive symptoms over a follow-up period. The findings suggest psilocybin may offer a viable alternative to standard antidepressant medication, though the study's design and sample size limit the strength of conclusions.
EClinicalMedicine
March 14, 2025
Raoul Bitar, Simon Halm, Christina Rossgoderer et al.
42 citations
A randomized controlled trial investigated whether psilocybin-assisted therapy could reduce relapse in patients with alcohol use disorder. The study compared psilocybin therapy against a control condition, finding that the psilocybin group showed a significantly lower rate of heavy drinking days over the follow-up period. The results suggest that psilocybin, when combined with psychotherapy, may be a promising intervention for relapse prevention in alcohol dependence, though further research is needed to confirm these findings.
EClinicalMedicine
August 1, 2024
Marcus E Hughes, Albert Garcia-Romeu
42 citations
A systematic review of 39 studies published between 1994 and 2024 found that ethnoracial diversity remains low in clinical psychedelic research. Among all included studies (n=1393), 85.0% of participants identified as non-Hispanic White, 2.9% as Black, 5.9% as Latinx/Hispanic, 3.2% as Asian, 1.9% as Indigenous, and 3.7% as mixed race. In studies conducted in the USA (n=1074), 84.5% were White, 3.4% Black, 7.4% Latinx/Hispanic, 4.0% Asian, 1.4% Indigenous, and 3.7% mixed race. The proportion of White to non-White participants decreased in US studies after 2017, indicating some progress, but minoritized groups remain underrepresented.
EClinicalMedicine
May 7, 2022
Hewa Artin, Sean Bentley, Eamonn Mehaffey et al.
35 citations
In an open-label retrospective analysis of 35 Veterans with co-occurring depression and PTSD, repeated intranasal (S)-ketamine treatments over four weeks were associated with reductions in both depression and PTSD symptoms. Depression scores on the PHQ-9 fell by an average of 5.1 points, from 19.8 to 14.7, with 14% of patients showing a clinically meaningful response. PTSD scores on the PCL-5 dropped by an average of 15.5 points, from 54.8 to 39.3, with 46% showing a clinically meaningful response. Changes in depression and PTSD symptoms were only moderately correlated, and some individuals experienced PTSD improvement without antidepressant response, suggesting distinct mechanisms of action for the two conditions.
EClinicalMedicine
February 1, 2023
Robin von Rotz, Eva M Schindowski, Johannes Jungwirth et al.
8 citations
correction
A correction was issued for a figure in a clinical trial on psilocybin-assisted therapy for major depressive disorder. The colors representing the Psilocybin and Placebo conditions were swapped in Fig. 2; the correction aligns them with the caption and other figures. The error does not affect the results. The trial found that a single, moderate dose of psilocybin significantly reduces depressive symptoms compared to placebo for at least two weeks, with no serious adverse events. Larger, multi-centric trials with longer follow-up are needed to optimize this treatment.
EClinicalMedicine
January 1, 2026
Henrique Nunes Pereira Oliva, Tiago Paiva Prudente, Alisson M Paredes Naveda et al.
5 citations
Sleep disturbances are common in people with substance use disorders and often persist after stopping use. This systematic review and meta-analysis of 43 studies with about 7500 participants examined sleep abnormalities linked to alcohol, benzodiazepine, cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, nicotine, and opioid use disorders. Total sleep time was reduced in alcohol, nicotine, and opioid use disorders. Slow-wave sleep was reduced in alcohol and cocaine use disorders. Sleep quality, measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, was poorer in alcohol, cocaine, and nicotine use disorders. No studies met criteria for benzodiazepine or methamphetamine use disorders. Results suggest specific substances relate to distinct sleep problems, highlighting areas for further research.
EClinicalMedicine
December 1, 2025
Tyler S Kaster, Yi Dai, Fidel Vila-Rodriguez et al.
5 citations
Both repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and intranasal esketamine are more effective than starting a new antidepressant medication for treatment-resistant depression. In a secondary analysis of individual patient data from two clinical trials involving 282 matched participants, rTMS reduced depression severity scores by 5.35 points and esketamine by 2.89 points more than medication alone. The difference between rTMS and esketamine was not statistically significant, but the results suggest rTMS may be at least as effective as esketamine. The analysis highlights the need for direct head-to-head trials comparing these two interventions.
EClinicalMedicine
September 24, 2025
Megan Hosein, Matthew J. Reid, Sarah A. Walser et al.
5 citations
Psilocybin and other psychedelics show promise as a new class of psychiatric treatments, but their rapid development risks outpacing the guidelines and infrastructure needed for safe clinical integration. A consensus statement from the US National Network of Depression Centers (NNDC) Task Group on Psychedelics and Related Compounds, comprising psychiatrists, psychologists, neuroscientists, psychedelic researchers, and healthcare consultants, recognizes psilocybin's therapeutic potential while emphasizing the need for further research. Key gaps include understanding therapeutic dosage, efficacy across diverse populations, and long-term safety. The authors call for diversified funding, collaborative research, standardized provider training, and careful ethical consideration. They advocate for a balanced approach prioritizing rigorous science and equitable access, noting the single-country focus limits international generalizability.
EClinicalMedicine
October 1, 2020
5 citations
An open-label pilot study demonstrated the feasibility, safety, and potential efficacy of psilocybin-assisted group therapy for demoralization in older long-term AIDS survivor (OLTAS) men, a marginalized population with high rates of comorbid mental health conditions. The group therapy paradigm is innovative because classic psychedelic treatments typically rely on individual sessions, raising scalability concerns. Half the sample met criteria for a comorbid condition such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or borderline personality disorder. The findings are not conclusive; future randomized placebo-controlled trials with larger samples are needed to more definitively inform safety and effectiveness.
EClinicalMedicine
December 1, 2025
Nadav Liam Modlin, Victoria Williamson, Guy M Goodwin et al.
2 citations
Psilocybin treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, when delivered with standardized preparation and support, may allow patients to engage with trauma-related material indirectly through affective, somatic, and self-transcendent experiences, such as feelings of unity or dissolution of self, rather than requiring direct confrontation with traumatic memories as in standard therapies. This qualitative study, nested within a phase 2 trial involving 21 adults with PTSD, identified four core themes: non-pharmacological factors for psychological safety and trust, the experiential nature of psilocybin treatment, engagement with trauma-related material, and comparative reflections on prior therapies. The findings suggest psilocybin offers a meaningful therapeutic opportunity, but larger controlled studies are needed.
EClinicalMedicine
April 2, 2026
A single 60-minute inhalation of 50% nitrous oxide (N2O) significantly reduced depressive symptoms in older adults (aged 60–90) with late-life depression who had not responded to at least one adequate antidepressant trial. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial with 60 participants, those receiving N2O showed a greater reduction in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores at two weeks compared to placebo (−6.2 points; 95% CI: −9.1 to −3.4). Improvements were rapid, appearing within 24 hours and persisting at one week. All adverse events were mild and transient. The findings suggest N2O may be a safe and effective rapid-acting treatment for this difficult-to-treat population, though further studies are needed to confirm long-term efficacy and safety.