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Psilocybin‐assisted therapy leads to personality shifts in patients with alcohol use disorder

The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update March 27, 2025 DOI: 10.1002/pu.31300 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Secondary analysis of a randomized trial Peer reviewed
Population Adults with alcohol use disorder
Topics Addiction Psilocybin
Keywords Psychotherapist Hallucinogen
Key findings Psilocybin-assisted therapy was associated with personality shifts toward normalization of abnormal trait expression, and decreased impulsiveness was linked to reduced drinking post-treatment, especially among those with moderate- or high-risk drinking before treatment.

Abstract

Adults with alcohol use disorder who received two sessions of psilocybin‐assisted therapy demonstrated personality shifts toward normalization of abnormal trait expression, a secondary analysis of a randomized trial has found. A decrease in impulsiveness was found to be associated with reduced drinking post‐treatment, with the strongest effect for psilocybin‐treated individuals who had engaged in moderate‐ or high‐risk drinking before treatment.

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on psilocybin for addiction, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Percentage of Heavy Drinking Days Following Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy vs Placebo in the Treatment of Adult Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder Adults aged 25–65 with DSM-IV alcohol dependence and at least 4 heavy drinking days in... 2022 Randomized controlled trial n = 95
Clinical Interpretations of Patient Experience in a Trial of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy for Alcohol Use Disorder Participants in an ongoing trial of psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol use disorder 2018 Double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial n = 3
Psilocybin-assisted therapy for relapse prevention in alcohol use disorder: a phase 2 randomized clinical trial Patients with alcohol use disorder 2025 Randomized controlled trial
Psilocybin-induced changes in neural reactivity to alcohol and emotional cues in patients with alcohol use disorder: an fMRI pilot study Adult patients with alcohol use disorder 2024 Pilot study; randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial n = 11
Psilocybin for alcohol use disorder: Rationale and design considerations for a randomized controlled trial. Alcohol-dependent volunteers 2022 Randomized controlled trial n = 96

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