A single psilocybin dose is associated with long-term increased mindfulness, preceded by a proportional change in neocortical 5-HT2A receptor binding
M. Madsen, Patrick M. Fisher, Dea Siggaard Stenbæk, Sara Kristiansen, Daniel Burmester, Szabolcs Lehel, Tomáš Páleníček, Martin Kuchař, Claus Svarer, Brice Ozenne, Gitte M. Knudsen
European Neuropsychopharmacology March 4, 2020 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.02.001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 10 |
| Population | Healthy, psychedelic-naïve volunteers |
| Intervention | Psilocybin |
| Dose | 0.2-0.3 mg/kg |
| Duration | Single dose, with PET imaging at baseline and one week, and questionnaires at baseline and three months |
| Topics | Meditation Psilocybin Serotonin |
| Keywords | Clinical psychology Hallucinogen |
| Citations | 189 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin intake is associated with long-term increases in Openness and mindfulness, and individual changes in 5-HT2AR binding correlate negatively with changes in mindfulness. |
Abstract
A single dose of the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonist psilocybin can have long-lasting beneficial effects on mood, personality, and potentially on mindfulness, but underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here, we for the first time conduct a study that assesses psilocybin effects on cerebral 5-HT2AR binding with [11C]Cimbi-36 positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and on personality and mindfulness. Ten healthy and psychedelic-naïve volunteers underwent PET neuroimaging of 5-HT2AR at baseline (BL) and one week (1W) after a single oral dose of psilocybin (0.2-0.3 mg/kg). Personality (NEO PI-R) and mindfulness (MAAS) questionnaires were completed at BL and at three-months follow-up (3M). Paired t-tests revealed statistically significant increases in personality Openness (puncorrected = 0.04, mean change [95%CI]: 4.2[0.4;∞]), which was hypothesized a priori to increase, and mindfulness (pFWER = 0.02, mean change [95%CI]: 0.5 [0.2;0.7]). Although 5-HT2AR binding at 1W versus BL was similar across individuals (puncorrected = 0.8, mean change [95%CI]: 0.007 [-0.04;0.06]), a post hoc linear regression analysis showed that change in mindfulness and 5-HT2AR correlated negatively (β [95%CI] = -5.0 [-9.0; -0.9], pFWER= 0.046). In conclusion, we confirm that psilocybin intake is associated with long-term increases in Openness and - as a novel finding - mindfulness, which may be a key element of psilocybin therapy. Cerebral 5-HT2AR binding did not change across individuals but the negative association between changes in 5-HT2AR binding and mindfulness suggests that individual change in 5-HT2AR levels after psilocybin is variable and represents a potential mechanism influencing long-term effects of psilocybin on mindfulness.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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A single psilocybin dose was associated with long-term increases in Openness and mindfulness, and changes in 5-HT2A receptor binding correlated negatively with mindfulness changes.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on psilocybin and meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lasting increases in trait mindfulness after psilocybin correlate positively with the mystical-type experience in healthy individuals Healthy individuals | 2022 | Observational cohort | n = 39 |
| Decreases in State and Trait Anxiety Post-psilocybin: A Naturalistic, Observational Study Among Retreat Attendees Self-reported healthy volunteers attending psilocybin ceremonies | 2022 | Observational cohort | n = 52 |
| Comparing Neural Correlates of Consciousness: From Psychedelics to Hypnosis and Meditation Healthy adults | 2023 | Observational cohort | n = 107 |
| Longitudinal associations between psychedelic use and meditation practices in the United States and the United Kingdom. US and UK adults representative by sex, age, and ethnicity | 2024 | Longitudinal observational study | n = 9,732 |
| Classic psychedelic use and current meditation practice. Adults aged 18 years or older in the United States | 2023 | Retrospective, population-based observational study | n = 2,822 |