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Predicting the Intensity of Psychedelic-Induced Mystical and Challenging Experience in a Healthy Population: An Exploratory Post-Hoc Analysis.

Kwonmok Ko, Ben Carter, Anthony J. Cleare, James J Rucker

Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment 2023 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s426193 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized controlled trial Placebo-controlled Double-blind Peer reviewed
Sample size 89
Population Healthy volunteers
Intervention Psilocybin
Dose 10 mg, 25 mg
Topics Mystical experience Psilocybin Psychedelic-assisted therapy
Keywords Challenging experience Mystical experiences Psilocybin research Adverse reactions Age factors
Citations 26
Key findings Higher psilocybin dosage strongly predicted greater intensity of both mystical and challenging experiences, and age was negatively correlated with challenging experience intensity.

Abstract

In psychedelic therapy, mystical as well as challenging experience may influence therapeutic outcome. However, predictors of such experience have not been sufficiently established. Determining predictors of their intensity is, therefore, potentially beneficial in targeting psilocybin therapy for depression. In a post hoc data analysis of a Phase 1, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-groups clinical trial, dosage, personality traits, affect, and individual data were analysed as possible clinical predictors. Eighty-nine healthy volunteers were randomised to receive a single dose of placebo, 10 mg of psilocybin, or 25 mg of psilocybin. ANOVA was used to analyse the relationship between dosage and mystical and/or challenging experience, and correlation analysis for all other variables. The intensity of both mystical and challenging experience was strongly associated with higher dosage. Age was negatively correlated with intensity of challenging experience. Correlation between identified personality traits and either mystical or challenging experience was minimal, with the exception of positive correlation between neuroticism and challenging experience at higher dose. Neither positive nor negative affect indicated correlation with the intensity of either type of experience. A limitation of this study is its post hoc, exploratory design; recommendations for further research are provided.

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on psilocybin and psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Psilocybin occasioned mystical-type experiences: immediate and persisting dose-related effects. Healthy adults, mostly hallucinogen-naïve 2011 Randomized controlled trial n = 18
Percentage of Heavy Drinking Days Following Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy vs Placebo in the Treatment of Adult Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder Adults aged 25–65 with DSM-IV alcohol dependence and at least 4 heavy drinking days in... 2022 Randomized controlled trial n = 95
Increased global integration in the brain after psilocybin therapy for depression. Patients with treatment-resistant depression and patients with major depressive disorder 2022 Open-label trial and double-blind phase II randomized controlled trial
Single-dose psilocybin-assisted therapy in major depressive disorder: A placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomised clinical trial. Adults diagnosed with major depressive disorder and no unstable somatic conditions 2023 Double-blind, randomised clinical trial n = 52
Implications for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: functional magnetic resonance imaging study with psilocybin Healthy participants 2012 Randomized controlled trial n = 10

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Mystical experience Psilocybin Psychedelic-assisted therapy Depression Mysticism

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