Magic Mushroom Day: Psilocybin for Depression

Psilocybin as a Promising Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder

Wednesday, September 20th, Magic Mushroom Day

Welcome back to another Mushroom Monday blog, although this time, we're releasing it on a special occasion – Wednesday, September 20th, officially recognized as Magic Mushroom Day. In honor of this day, we're diving into the world of psilocybin, the powerful compound found in magic mushrooms, and its potential as a treatment for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).

The Psilocybin Trial: Unveiling a Promising Future

Psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in certain mushrooms, has been gaining considerable attention for its potential therapeutic benefits, especially in treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). This phase 2 clinical trial, conducted between December 2019 and June 2022 at 11 research sites in the US, aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a single dose of psilocybin in patients with MDD in one of the biggest psilocybin trials to date.

Oveview of the Clincal Trial

Importance:

Psilocybin shows promise as a treatment for MDD, a condition often resistant to conventional therapies.

Objective:

To assess the magnitude, timing, and sustainability of antidepressant effects and the safety of a single dose of psilocybin in patients with MDD.

Participants:

Adults aged 21 to 65 with a diagnosis of MDD lasting at least 60 days and moderate or greater symptom severity. Exclusion criteria included a history of psychosis, active substance use disorder, and active suicidal thoughts.

Interventions:

Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a 25-mg dose of synthetic psilocybin or a 100-mg dose of niacin (an active placebo) with psychological support.

Main Outcomes:

The primary outcome was the change in the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score from baseline to day 43. Secondary outcomes included changes in the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) score and sustained response and remission rates.

Results and Implications:

Psilocybin treatment significantly reduced MADRS scores compared to the niacin group at day 43 and day 8. Psilocybin treatment also led to a significant reduction in SDS scores compared to niacin. More participants receiving psilocybin experienced sustained response, though not remission, compared to the niacin group. There were no serious treatment-related adverse events, although psilocybin treatment resulted in a higher rate of overall adverse events.

Psychedelic mushrooms growing in the wild

Conclusions:

This study suggests that psilocybin, when administered with psychological support, can lead to a significant and sustained reduction in depressive symptoms and functional disability in individuals with MDD. Importantly, there were no serious adverse events associated with psilocybin treatment.

This research adds to the growing body of evidence supporting the potential of psilocybin as a novel intervention for Major Depressive Disorder. However, it's essential to acknowledge the limitations of the study, including the need for more diverse participant populations and longer-term follow-up studies to fully understand the benefits and risks of psilocybin therapy.

As we celebrate Magic Mushroom Day, let's keep an eye on future developments in this field, which could offer new hope for those struggling with treatment-resistant depression.

To learn more, go to: 10.1001/jama.2023.14530