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.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on psilocybin, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| The pharmacology of psilocybin | 2002 | Review | |
| Serotonin research: contributions to understanding psychoses | 2008 | Review | |
| Psychedelics, Meditation, and Self-Consciousness | 2018 | Review | |
| The abuse potential of medical psilocybin according to the 8 factors of the Controlled Substances Act | 2018 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 27
- Navigating groundlessness: An interview study on dealing with ontological shock and existential distress following psychedelic experiences. PLoS One 2025
- Psilocybin increases emotional empathy in patients with major depression. Molecular Psychiatry June 1, 2025
- From Efficacy to Effectiveness: Evaluating Psychedelic Randomized Controlled Trials for Trustworthy Evidence‐Based Policy and Practice Pharmacology Research & Perspectives April 1, 2025
- Psilocybin in late-life mental health: Addressing depression, loneliness, and existential anxiety General Hospital Psychiatry December 9, 2025
- Should we skip the trip? Clinical implications of psychedelic-associated subjective effects and the potential role of non-hallucinogenic alternatives. General Hospital Psychiatry July 3, 2025
and 22 more in the library
Cites 45
- Mindfulness Interventions Annual Review of Psychology September 30, 2016
- Pilot Study of Psilocybin Treatment for Anxiety in Patients With Advanced-Stage Cancer Archives of General Psychiatry September 7, 2010
- Psychedelics Promote Structural and Functional Neural Plasticity Cell Reports June 1, 2018
- Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression. New England Journal of Medicine November 3, 2022
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up. Psychopharmacology November 8, 2017
and 40 more in the library