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The Use of Psilocybin in the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders with Attention to Relative Safety Profile: A Systematic Review

Andrew Hodge, Suporn Sukpraprut‐braaten, Matthew R Narlesky, Robert Strayhan

Journal of Psychoactive Drugs February 28, 2022 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2022.2044096 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Review Peer reviewed
Sample size 76
Population Articles screened from PubMed
Intervention Psilocybin
Topics Anxiety MDMA Psilocybin
Keywords Hallucinogen Adverse effect Depression economics Population Pharmacology Environmental health
Citations 47
Key findings Oral psilocybin produces statistically significant reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms over time versus control and reduces cigarettes per day and drinks per day in patients with substance use disorders, with no significant adverse clinical events or verifiable recorded deaths reported.

Abstract

There has been a reemergence of research into the use of substances such as LSD, MDMA, and psilocybin for the treatment of psychiatric disorders. This increase in consideration toward the medicinal use of these compounds has been termed the "Psychedelic Renaissance." This article specifically explores the background of psilocybin, a psychoactive compound that is naturally derived from certain species of fungi. Pubmed was searched by one doctoral-level researcher using specific Boolean operator terms. The results were filtered by title and abstract and 76 articles were screened and analyzed in full detail. Oral psilocybin is showing itself to be clinically efficacious by producing statistically significant reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms over time versus control in multiple clinical trials. It has also been shown to reduce cigarettes per day and drinks per day in patients with substance use disorders. Thus far, there have been no significant adverse clinical events from psilocybin and there also have been no verifiable recorded deaths reported. Larger studies need to be performed before the drug can potentially become approved for use in the general population.

Comparable studies

Other narrative reviews on MDMA for anxiety, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Clinical applications of hallucinogens: A review. 2016 Review
MDMA-assisted therapy: A new treatment model for social anxiety in autistic adults. Individuals who have received MDMA for research purposes 2016 Review n = 1,133
Long-Term Neuropsychiatric Consequences of "Ecstasy" (MDMA): A Review Chronic recreational users of ecstasy (MDMA), including adolescents 2002 Review
A review of emerging therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses 2020 Review
Top Ten Tips Palliative Care Clinicians Should Know About Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy in the Context of Serious Illness. Palliative care clinicians and patients 2022 Review

Citations in the library

Cited by 39

and 34 more in the library

Cites 23

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Anxiety MDMA Psilocybin Addiction Depression LSD

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