The effect of psilocybin on empathy and prosocial behavior: a proposed mechanism for enduring antidepressant effects.
Kush V. Bhatt, Cory R. Weissman
npj Mental Health Research February 20, 2024 DOI: 10.1038/s44184-023-00053-8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Psychedelics Mental health Depression treatment Social cognition |
| Citations | 29 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin may induce a positive feedback loop involving empathy and prosocial behavior that helps explain its enduring antidepressant effects. |
Abstract
Psilocybin is a serotonergic psychedelic shown to have enduring antidepressant effects. Currently, the mechanism for its enduring effects is not well understood. Empathy and prosocial behavior may be important for understanding the therapeutic benefit of psilocybin. In this article we review the effect of psilocybin on empathy and prosocial behavior. Moreover, we propose that psilocybin may induce a positive feedback loop involving empathy and prosocial behavior which helps explain the observed, enduring antidepressant effects.