Can Psilocybin Cure Depression?

A single 25mg dose of psilocybin has been found to reduce depression scores significantly in a new trial. 

Scientists studying the compound that makes magic mushrooms “magic” say that psilocybin therapy may represent a new paradigm of mental health treatment.

Severe depression is estimated to affect around 100 million people globally, with traditional treatments largely ineffective.

Psilocybin will now be tested on treatment-resistant depression in larger clinical trials with more participants, comparing it both to placebo and to established treatments.

New study

The study was performed by scientists across 22 international institutions and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Researchers handed participants a dose of either 1mg, 10mg (considered to be low doses), or 25mg considered a medium to high dose) of synthetic psilocybin.  

Participants consumed psilocybin under the observation of trained medical professionals, and then participated in follow-up therapy sessions. 

Findings

The study found that participants who received the largest dose of psilocybin (25mg) reported that it significantly mitigated their symptoms of depression in comparison to those who received the 10mg or 1mg dose. 

The beneficial effects from the 25mg dose were also displayed more rapidly in comparison to the other two doses over the course of a 12-week period. 

However, the larger dose was also associated with more adverse effects such as nausea, dizziness, fatigue and headaches.  

Among all of the groups, suicidal thoughts were reported. This is very common with severe depression, but it didn’t worsen for any group throughout the trial.  

Longer trials with larger cohorts of patients are required to establish the safety and efficacy of psilocybin for the treatment of severe depression symptoms.

Previous research

A 2019 study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology found that a single dose of psilocybin, combined with psychological support, was associated with significant reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant depression.

Additionally, a 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis published in The Lancet Psychiatry found that psilocybin was associated with significant reductions in depression symptoms, with the effects lasting for up to five weeks.

So can psilocybin cure depression?

There is now mounting evidence to suggest that psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic compound, may be effective in treating depression.

However, curing depression is very different to effectively treating it.

Psilocybin has been shown to produce rapid and sustained improvements in mood and symptoms of depression in some studies, and has been found to increase activity in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is thought to be involved in the regulation of mood and emotional processing.

This suggests that it may have potential as a novel treatment for depression.

However, more research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying the effects of psilocybin on depression.

Read: Should You Choose Psilocybin Over Antidepressants?

Read: Ultimate Guide to Microdosing Psilocybin Mushrooms

Read: Single Dose Of Psilocybin Increases Brain Synapses To Produce Antidepressant Effect

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