Treatment Expectancies and Psilocybin vs Escitalopram for Depression
Ethan G. Dutcher, Andrew D. Krystal
JAMA Psychiatry December 10, 2024 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.4387 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPeople with major depressive disorder who had higher expectations for psilocybin treatment showed greater reductions in depression symptoms compared to those taking escitalopram, while expectations for escitalopram did not predict outcomes. The analysis used data from a randomized clinical trial and suggests that treatment expectancies may influence the relative effectiveness of psilocybin versus a standard antidepressant.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | People with major depressive disorder |
| Interventions | Psilocybin Escitalopram |
| Topics | Anxiety Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Escitalopram Depression economics Psychiatry Hallucinogen |
| Citations | 5 |
| Key finding | Higher treatment expectancies for psilocybin were associated with greater depression symptom reduction compared to escitalopram, whereas expectancies for escitalopram did not predict outcomes. |
Abstract
This secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial examines the association between treatment expectancies and the relative efficacy of psilocybin compared with escitalopram for major depressive disorder.