Psilocybin Therapeutic Research: The Present and Future Paradigm
ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters March 2, 2020 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.0c00048 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Data science |
| Citations | 48 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin may have therapeutic potential for mental health disorders like major depressive disorder and addiction without the addictiveness and overdose risk of other mind-altering drugs. |
Abstract
Psilocybin, an active component in "magic mushroom", may have the potential to meet the therapeutic needs for a number of indications without the addictiveness and overdose risk of other mind-altering drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, alcohol, methamphetamine, and so forth. The need for new therapies is urgent because addiction, overdose, and suicide deaths have risen throughout the United States and around the world. Anecdotal and contemporary pharmacological reports have provided some indication about the therapeutic use of psilocybin for the treatment of mental health disorders such as major depressive disorder and addiction disorders. In this Viewpoint, I summarize the current state of psilocybin therapeutic research and attempt to provide some insight into future directions on which the scientific community may wish to focus.