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Study: Psilocybin enhances therapy in patients with major depression

The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update January 7, 2021 DOI: 10.1002/pu.30675 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized open-label trial Peer reviewed
Population Patients with major depressive disorder
Intervention Psilocybin
Topics Anxiety Depression Psilocybin
Keywords Depression economics Antidepressant Hallucinogen Randomized controlled trial Psychotherapist Cognition
Key findings Two administrations of psilocybin as part of a psychotherapy regimen led to rapid and lasting improvement in depression symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder.

Abstract

Patients with major depressive disorder who received two administrations of the psychedelic psilocybin as part of a psychotherapy regimen saw a rapid and lasting improvement in depression symptoms, a randomized open‐label trial has found. These findings extend results of research that have suggested antidepressant effects for psilocybin in patients with cancer and treatment‐resistant depression, the researchers stated. Study results were published online Nov. 4, 2020, in JAMA Psychiatry .

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