Objective To evaluate psilocybin's efficacy in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms in cancer patients based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods This systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) followed PRISMA and Cochrane Handbook guidelines. PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library data up to July 2024 were analyzed. Two RCTs met the inclu...
Although there is growing support for the protective effects of psychedelics on mental health, recent evidence finds racial and ethnic minorities gain fewer benefits. This paper aims to test whether the disparate mental health outcomes associated with psychedelic use extend across multiple racial and ethnic groups, including non-Hispanic Whites, Blacks, Asia...
This Comment explores the legal, ethical, and regulatory challenges surrounding the use of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for terminally ill patients under the federal Right to Try (RTT) Act. While psychedelics like psilocybin are demonstrating extraordinary therapeutic potential, particularly in easing end-of-life psychological distress, patients remain ...
OBJECTIVE: Unipolar and bipolar depression severely impact millions of individuals worldwide, with a significant subset of cases remaining unresponsive to conventional treatments. Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) has demonstrated therapeutic efficacy; however, the optimal psychotherapeutic approach remains undefined, ranging from unstructured models r...
While the movement to liberalize psychedelics bears many parallels to that of cannabis, there are important differences that must be considered in development of regulatory policy. It is critical to avoid conflating debates about liberalization for therapeutic and recreational purposes. As with cannabis, this conflation has been driven by advocates of recrea...
Background: Due to the unsatisfactory therapeutic effects of current antidepressants, research has been launched into alternative treatment approaches, such as the administration of psychedelics. Psilocybin, a classic hallucinogen, has been shown to exert considerable positive influence on depression symptoms through its serotonergic and glutamatergic effect...
The turn of the century brought a resurgence of interest in psychedelics as a treatment for addiction and other psychiatric conditions, accompanied by extensive positive media attention and private equity investment. Government regulatory bodies in Australia, Israel, Canada and the United States now permit use of psychedelics for medical purposes. In the Uni...
We examined if the therapeutic alliance between study participants and intervention facilitators in a psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) trial changed over time and whether there were relationships between alliance, acute psilocybin experiences, and depression outcomes. In a randomized, waiting list-controlled clinical trial for major depressive disorder in a...
Introduction: There is substantial public interest in psychedelics as potential treatments for psychiatric conditions. However, most psychedelics are criminalized under federal law in the USA, so it is unclear whether use occurs with clinical support. Our objective was to assess whether naturalistic psychedelic use occurs with clinical support, interactions ...
The clinical evaluation of hallucinogens and other small molecules, conventionally termed psychedelics, has seen a dramatic increase in the past 5 years. Several key clinical trials recently demonstrated the potential efficacy of these compounds in treating a variety of mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Conc...
Psilocybin has been suggested as a promising transdiagnostic treatment strategy for a wide range of psychiatric disorders. Recent findings showed that psychedelic-assisted/"psycholitic" psychotherapy should provide significant and sustained alleviation of depressive symptoms. However, to date, there have been several study limitations (e.g., small sample siz...
INTRODUCTION: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are common in service members and veterans, and the response to currently available treatments is often modest at best. Recent studies suggest potential benefit with psychedelic-assisted therapies (PATs), particularly 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted therapy for PTSD and psilocybin-a...
Mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety are major contributors to the overall global health burden. COVID-19 has further aggravated mental health disorders and also increased substance abuse due to lockdowns1. The Global Burden of Disease reported that the pandemic has led to a 27.6% increase in cases of major depressive disorder (MDD) and a 2...
This article shows, from historical and ethnographic perspectives, how the city of Huautla de Jiménez in the Sierra Mazateca (Oaxaca, Mexico) became an emblematic place for the trade of psilocybin mushrooms. Sales to foreigners started to take place in the Sierra Mazateca during the 1950s, stimulated by botanical expeditions and by the collapse in coffee pri...
Beckley Psytech has raised $80 million in series B financing to develop drugs from psychedelic compounds. The firm is one of a small but growing number of biotech start-ups pushing to make psychedelics part of mainstream medicine. The Oxford, England-based firm will use the money to support an ongoing Phase 1b trial using psilocybin, which is found in mushro...
This study examined how psychedelics reduced symptoms of racial trauma among black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) subsequent to an experience of racism. A cross-sectional internet-based survey included questions about experiences with racism, mental health symptoms, and acute and enduring psychedelic effects. Changes in mental health were assessed ...
There is a long history of psychedelic use throughout history. A great deal of research was conducted on the possible benefits of psychedelics until LSD and psilocybin became street drugs in the 1960s with reported negative effects. Declared illegal in the late 1960s, research slowed on the benefits of such drugs. A new version of the “street” use of psyched...
Use of psilocybin reduces anxiety and depression when used as palliative care in cancer cases. Oregon is poised to legalize this drug for therapeutic use, a revolutionary step forward in the legalization process that will increase the care options for patients.
