Efficacy and safety of psychedelics for the treatment of mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Yuan Yao, Dan Guo, Tang-Sheng Lu, Fang-Lin Liu, Shi-Hao Huang, Meng-Qi Diao, Su-Xia Li, Xiu-Jun Zhang, Thomas R Kosten, Jie Shi, Yan-Ping Bao, Lin Lu, Ying Han
Psychiatry Research May 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115886 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review and meta-analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 126 |
| Population | Articles on psychedelic treatment for mental disorders |
| Interventions | Psilocybin LSD MDMA |
| Keywords | Mental disorders Meta-analysis Safety Psychedelics hallucinogens Entheogens Psychoactive drugs Behavioral therapy Psychological treatment Scientific trials |
| Citations | 126 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin showed the strongest therapeutic effect (Hedges' g = -1.49) among four psychedelics for treating depression and anxiety. |
Abstract
We aim to systematically review and meta-analyze the effectiveness and safety of psychedelics [psilocybin, ayahuasca (active component DMT), LSD and MDMA] in treating symptoms of various mental disorders. Web of Science, Embase, EBSCO, and PubMed were searched up to February 2024 and 126 articles were finally included. Results showed that psilocybin has the largest number of articles on treating mood disorders (N = 28), followed by ayahuasca (N = 7) and LSD (N = 6). Overall, psychedelics have therapeutic effects on mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. Specifically, psilocybin (Hedges' g = -1.49, 95% CI [-1.67, -1.30]) showed the strongest therapeutic effect among four psychedelics, followed by ayahuasca (Hedges' g = -1.34, 95% CI [-1.86, -0.82]), MDMA (Hedges' g = -0.83, 95% CI [-1.33, -0.32]), and LSD (Hedges' g = -0.65, 95% CI [-1.03, -0.27]). A small amount of evidence also supports psychedelics improving tobacco addiction, eating disorders, sleep disorders, borderline personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and body dysmorphic disorder. The most common adverse event with psychedelics was headache. Nearly a third of the articles reported that no participants reported lasting adverse effects. Our analyses suggest that psychedelics reduce negative mood, and have potential efficacy in other mental disorders, such as substance-use disorders and PTSD.