The development of psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression: an update
Anya Borissova, James J. Rucker
BJPsych Bulletin June 26, 2023 DOI: 10.1192/bjb.2023.25 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Psilocybin therapy |
| Dose | 25 mg |
| Topics | Depression Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Depressive disorders Education and training Individual psychotherapy Novel cns drugs Out-patient treatment Mental health therapy Psychedelic medicine Depression treatment Clinical research Therapeutic innovation |
| Citations | 16 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin therapy shows signs of efficacy for treatment-resistant depression, with rapid improvement in depressive symptoms that endure for weeks, based on early evidence. |
Abstract
Summary Psilocybin is a classic psychedelic drug that has attracted increasing research interest over the past 10 years as a possible treatment for mood, anxiety and related conditions. Initial phase 2 clinical trials of psilocybin given alongside psychological support for major depression and treatment-resistant depression (TRD) demonstrated encouraging signs of basic safety, further confirmed by a large study in groups of healthy volunteers. The first international multi-centre randomised controlled trial was published in 2022, with signs of efficacy for the 25 mg dose condition in people with TRD when compared with an active placebo. Phase 3 trials in TRD are scheduled to start in 2023. Early evidence suggests that single doses of psilocybin given with psychological support induce rapid improvement in depressive symptoms that endure for some weeks. We therefore provide a timely update to psychiatrists on what psilocybin therapy is, what it is not, and the current state of the evidence-base.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on psilocybin for depression, 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 | |
| Molecular Mechanisms of Psilocybin and Implications for the Treatment of Depression | 2021 | Review | |
| Registered clinical studies investigating psychedelic drugs for psychiatric disorders. Registered clinical trials on clinicaltrials.gov evaluating psychedelics for... | 2021 | Review | n = 70 |
| Depression, Mindfulness, and Psilocybin: Possible Complementary Effects of Mindfulness Meditation and Psilocybin in the Treatment of Depression. A Review | 2020 | Review | |
| From psychiatry to neurology: Psychedelics as prospective therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders | 2021 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 13
- Psychedelics for treatment resistant depression: are they game changers? Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy November 10, 2023
- Trauma-Informed Care in Psychedelic Therapy Research: A Qualitative Literature Review of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Interventions in PTSD and Psychedelic Therapy Across Conditions. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment 2024
- An overview of psilocybin, LSD, MDMA, and ketamine in revitalizing psychedelic-assisted therapy: Insights, limitations and future directions. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry July 25, 2025
- Psychedelics for Moral Bioenhancement in Healthy Individuals—A Violation of the Non-Maleficence Principle? Psychoactives February 6, 2025
- Advancing cancer neuroscience through stress modulation: Interdisciplinary potential of psilocybin and ketamine General Hospital Psychiatry February 25, 2026
and 8 more in the library
Cites 32
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
- Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder JAMA Psychiatry November 4, 2020
- Pilot Study of Psilocybin Treatment for Anxiety in Patients With Advanced-Stage Cancer Archives of General Psychiatry September 7, 2010
and 27 more in the library