A potential role for psilocybin in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder
Journal of Psychedelic Studies June 1, 2020 DOI: 10.1556/2054.2020.00128 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Addiction Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Obsessive compulsive Hallucinogen Mood Psychotherapist Clinical psychology |
| Citations | 12 |
| Key findings | Multiple signals point in directions consistent with psilocybin's potential to treat OCD, supporting expanded research. |
Abstract
Abstract The recent revivification of interest in the therapeutic use of psychedelics has had a particular focus on mood disorders and addiction, although there is reason to think these drugs may be effective more widely. After outlining pertinent aspects of psilocybin and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the current review summarizes the evidence indicating that there may be a role for psilocybin in the treatment of OCD, as well as highlighting a range of potential therapeutic mechanisms that reflect the action of psilocybin on brain function. Although the current evidence is limited, that multiple signals point in directions consistent with treatment potential, alongside the psychological and physiological safety of clinically administered psilocybin, support the expansion of research, both in animal models and in further randomized controlled trials, to properly investigate this potential.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on psilocybin for addiction, 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 | |
| Psychedelics as anti-inflammatory agents Animal models and cellular studies | 2018 | Review | |
| Psychedelic Drugs in Biomedicine | 2017 | Review | |
| DARK Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Psilocybin | 2018 | Review | |
| Psilocybin for treating substance use disorders? | 2016 | Narrative review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 9
- Diversity, biology, and history of psilocybin-containing fungi: Suggestions for research and technological development. Fungal biology April 1, 2022
- Psychedelics for the Treatment of Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: Efficacy and Proposed Mechanisms The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology November 29, 2024
- Psychedelics as a potential treatment for borderline personality disorder: A narrative review. Psychiatry Research July 1, 2026
- Case Report: Repeated low doses of psilocybin reduce perceived symptom severity but fail to restore cognitive flexibility in a case of severe obsessive-compulsive disorder: an observational case study of identical twins. Frontiers in Psychiatry 2026
- Psychedelic therapy for body dysmorphic disorder Journal of Psychedelic Studies June 23, 2022
and 4 more in the library
Cites 65
- 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
- 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
and 60 more in the library