Set and Setting: A Randomized Study of Different Musical Genres in Supporting Psychedelic Therapy
Justin C Strickland, Albert Garcia‐romeu, Matthew W. Johnson
ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science December 29, 2020 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.0c00187 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Within-subjects experimental crossover Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 10 |
| Population | Adult tobacco smokers receiving psilocybin for smoking cessation |
| Interventions | Psilocybin Western classical music overtone-based music |
| Dose | 20-30 mg/70 kg |
| Duration | Two sessions with different music genres plus a third session with participant-chosen music |
| Topics | Psilocybin Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Musical Music therapy Overtone Audiology Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 89 |
| Key findings | Overtone-based music was associated with higher mystical experience scores and a slight benefit in smoking abstinence compared to Western classical music during psilocybin sessions. |
Abstract
Mounting evidence supports the serotonin 2A receptor agonist psilocybin as a psychiatric pharmacotherapy. Little research has experimentally examined how session "set and setting" impacts subjective and therapeutic effects. We analyzed the effects of the musical genre played during sessions of a psilocybin study for tobacco smoking cessation. Participants (N = 10) received psilocybin (20-30 mg/70 kg) in two sessions, each with a different musical genre (Western classical versus overtone-based), with the order counterbalanced. Participants chose one genre for a third session (30 mg/70 kg). Mystical experiences scores tended to be higher in overtone-based sessions than in Western classical sessions. Six of ten participants chose the overtone-based music for a third session. Biologically confirmed smoking abstinence was similar based on musical choice, with a slight benefit for participants choosing the overtone-based playlist (66.7% versus 50%). These data call into question whether Western classical music typically used in psychedelic therapy holds a unique benefit. Broadly, we call for experimentally examining session components toward optimizing psychedelic therapeutic protocols.