Lancet Psychiatry
May 17, 2016
Robin Carhart-Harris, Mark Bolstridge, James Rucker et al.
1,546 citations
In an open-label trial, 12 patients with moderate-to-severe treatment-resistant depression received two doses of psilocybin (10 mg and 25 mg, one week apart) in a supportive setting. The psychedelic effects peaked 2-3 hours after dosing and subsided within 6 hours. No serious adverse events occurred; transient anxiety, confusion, nausea, and headache were noted. Depressive symptoms, measured with the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptoms, were markedly reduced one week after the high dose (mean reduction of 11.8 points) and remained lower at three months (mean reduction of 9.2 points). Improvements in anxiety and anhedonia were also observed. The results provide preliminary support for psilocybin's safety and efficacy in treatment-resistant depression, warranting further controlled trials.
Journal of Humanistic Psychology
June 19, 2017
Rosalind Watts, Camilla Day, Jacob Krzanowski et al.
582 citations
In an open-label trial, 20 patients with treatment-resistant depression described their experiences six months after psilocybin treatment. They reported two main shifts: from feeling disconnected from themselves, others, and the world to feeling connected, and from avoiding emotions to accepting them. Patients contrasted psilocybin with conventional treatments like medications and short-term talking therapies, which they said reinforced disconnection and avoidance, whereas psilocybin encouraged connection and acceptance. The findings suggest psilocybin may work through a novel mechanism opposite to standard antidepressants and some therapies.
Sci Rep
November 19, 2019
Christopher Timmermann, Leor Roseman, Michael Schartner et al.
325 citations
Intravenous DMT, a fast-acting psychedelic, markedly reduces alpha and beta brain wave power and increases spontaneous signal diversity in the human brain, as measured by EEG. The emergence of delta and theta oscillatory activity correlates with the peak of the subjective experience, especially its eyes-closed visual component. Relationships between changes in subjective experience and brain activity were observed across time, linking specific brain changes to specific aspects of the experience.
BMJ Open
December 1, 2021
James Rucker, Hassan Jafari, Tim Mantingh et al.
23 citations
A randomized, placebo-controlled trial is testing the feasibility of psilocybin-assisted therapy for people with major depressive disorder who have not responded to at least two prior treatments. Up to 60 participants in London, UK receive either 25 mg psilocybin or a placebo in a single dosing session, along with psychological therapy. The primary outcomes are recruitment rates, dropout rates, and variance in depression scores measured by the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale at 3 and 6 weeks. The trial also collects neuroimaging and omics data and offers an open-label extension dose of psilocybin.
bioRxiv
July 18, 2019
Christopher Timmermann, Leor Roseman, Michael Schartner et al.
4 citations
preprint
Intravenous DMT, a fast-acting psychedelic, markedly alters human brain activity. Compared with a placebo, DMT reduced oscillatory power in alpha and beta brainwaves and increased spontaneous signal diversity. Time-referenced analyses linked changes in subjective experience to changes in brain activity. Emergence of delta and theta frequency oscillations correlated with the peak of the experience, particularly its eyes-closed visual component. These findings advance understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of immersive states of consciousness.