Psychedelics, With a Focus on Psilocybin: Issues for the Clinician.
Amir Garakani, Jeanne L Alexander, Calvin R Sumner, Janet H Pine, Lawrence S Gross, Charles L. Raison, Scott T Aaronson, David Baron
Journal of Psychiatric Practice September 1, 2023 DOI: 10.1097/pra.0000000000000729 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Psychedelics Psilocybin therapy Mental health Clinical research |
| Citations | 6 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin shows promise for treatment-resistant depression and cancer-related anxiety, but further study and regulatory considerations are needed. |
Abstract
There has been a burgeoning interest in psychedelics among the public, state legislatures, psychiatrists and other clinical providers, and within the research community. Increasing numbers of studies evaluating psychedelics for depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders have been conducted or are underway. While discussing psychedelics in general, the focus of this paper is on psilocybin and its mechanism, how it exerts a psychedelic effect, dosing, and a review of the treatment studies of psilocybin, which were primarily for treatment-resistant depression and cancer-related anxiety. Future directions and potential limitations of studying and regulating psilocybin and other psychedelics are also discussed.
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 3
- Review of Psilocybin Use for Depression among Cancer Patients after Approval in Oregon Cancers April 27, 2024
- Psilocybin Use in the Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review Clinical Neuropharmacology September 1, 2025
- Small-Molecule Heterocyclic Compounds: Gq-Biased Agonists for the 5-HT2A Receptor in Neuropsychiatric Treatment ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters October 19, 2023
Cites 50
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
- Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder JAMA Psychiatry November 4, 2020
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
and 45 more in the library