Psychedelics in the treatment of unipolar mood disorders: a systematic review
James Rucker, Luke A. Jelen, Sarah Kalen Flynn, Kyle Frowde, Allan H. Young
Journal of Psychopharmacology November 18, 2016 DOI: 10.1177/0269881116679368 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 423 |
| Population | Patients with broadly defined unipolar mood disorders |
| Interventions | lysergic acid diethylamide psilocybin |
| Topics | Depression Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Mood disorders Bipolar disorder Clinical psychology Hallucinogen |
| Citations | 187 |
| Key findings | Of 423 individuals across 19 studies, 335 (79.2%) showed clinician-judged improvement after treatment with psychedelics. |
Abstract
Unipolar mood disorders, including major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), confer high rates of disability and mortality and a very high socioeconomic burden. Current treatment is suboptimal in most cases and there is little of note in the pharmaceutical development pipeline. The psychedelic drugs, including lysergic acid diethylamide and psilocybin, were used extensively in the treatment of mood disorders, and other psychiatric conditions, before their prohibition in the late 1960s. They are relatively safe when used in medically controlled environments, with no reported risk of dependence. Here, we present a systematic review of published clinical treatment studies using psychedelics in patients with broadly defined UMD, and consider their place in psychiatry. Whilst all of the included studies have methodological shortcomings, of 423 individuals in 19 studies, 335 (79.2%) showed clinician-judged improvement after treatment with psychedelics. A recently completed pilot study in the UK favours the use of psilocybin with psychological support in treatment resistant depressive disorder. The evidence overall strongly suggests that psychedelics should be re-examined in modern clinical trials for their use in unipolar mood disorders and other non-psychotic mental health conditions.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on psilocybin for depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Therapeutic effects of classic serotonergic psychedelics: A systematic review of modern‐era clinical studies Patients with cancer- or illness-related anxiety and depression, major depressive... | 2020 | Systematic review | n = 188 |
| The experimental effects of psilocybin on symptoms of anxiety and depression: A meta-analysis People with elevated symptoms of anxiety and depression | 2020 | Meta-analysis | n = 117 |
| Psychedelic therapy for depressive symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Participants in studies of psychedelic therapy for depressive symptoms (Major... | 2023 | Systematic review with meta-analysis | n = 14 |
| Serotonergic hallucinogens in the treatment of anxiety and depression in patients suffering from a life-threatening disease: A systematic review. Patients with life-threatening diseases and symptoms of anxiety or depression | 2018 | Systematic review | n = 445 |
| Psilocybin-assisted therapy for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Patients diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses or major depressive disorder | 2023 | Systematic review and meta-analysis | n = 686 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 149
- REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics Pharmacological Reviews June 20, 2019
- Psychedelics Promote Structural and Functional Neural Plasticity Cell Reports June 1, 2018
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up. Psychopharmacology November 8, 2017
- Quality of Acute Psychedelic Experience Predicts Therapeutic Efficacy of Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression Frontiers in Pharmacology January 17, 2018
- The Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Drugs: Past, Present, and Future. Neuropsychopharmacology April 26, 2017
and 144 more in the library
Cites 40
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- Pilot Study of Psilocybin Treatment for Anxiety in Patients With Advanced-Stage Cancer Archives of General Psychiatry September 7, 2010
- Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 23, 2012
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
- Psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol dependence: A proof-of-concept study Journal of Psychopharmacology January 13, 2015
and 35 more in the library