Psilocybin-assisted therapy improves psycho-social-spiritual well-being in cancer patients.
Sarah Shnayder, Rezvan Ameli, Ninet Sinaii, Ann Berger, Manish Agrawal
Journal of Affective Disorders February 15, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.11.046 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Phase II, single-center, open label trial Open-label Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 30 |
| Population | Cancer patients with major depressive disorder |
| Intervention | Psilocybin-assisted therapy |
| Dose | 25 mg |
| Duration | 8-week follow-up |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Nih-heals Psilocybin-therapy psychedelic therapy Magic mushroom treatment Cancer-mental-health cancer psychology Oncology psychiatry Psycho-spiritual-wellness spiritual healing Emotional wellbeing Psychological health |
| Citations | 67 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin-assisted therapy significantly improved psycho-social-spiritual well-being, as measured by the NIH-HEALS, with sustained effects across all three factors through 8 weeks. |
Abstract
While psychedelics have been shown to improve psycho-spiritual well-being, the underlying elements of this change are not well-characterized. The NIH-HEALS posits that psycho-social-spiritual change occurs through the factors of Connection, Reflection & Introspection, and Trust & Acceptance. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in NIH-HEALS scores in a cancer population with major depressive disorder undergoing psilocybin-assisted therapy. In this Phase II, single-center, open label trial, 30 cancer patients with major depressive disorder received a fixed dose of 25 mg of psilocybin. Participants underwent group preparation sessions, simultaneous psilocybin treatment administered in adjacent rooms, and group integration sessions, along with individual care. The NIH-HEALS, a self-administered, 35-item measure of psycho-social spiritual healing was completed at baseline and post-treatment at day 1, week 1, week 3, and week 8 following psilocybin therapy. NIH-HEALS scores, representing psycho-social-spiritual wellbeing, improved in response to psilocybin treatment (p < 0.001). All three factors of the NIH-HEALS (Connection, Reflection & Introspection, and Trust & Acceptance) demonstrated positive change by 12.7 %, 7.7 %, and 22.4 %, respectively. These effects were apparent at all study time points and were sustained up to the last study interval at 8 weeks (p < 0.001). The study lacks a control group, relies on a self-report measure, and uses a relatively small sample size with limited diversity that restricts generalizability. Findings suggest that psilocybin-assisted therapy facilitates psycho-social-spiritual growth as measured by the NIH-HEALS and its three factors. This supports the factors of Connection, Reflection & Introspection, and Trust & Acceptance as underlying elements for psycho-social-spiritual healing in cancer patients, and validates the use of the NIH-HEALS within psychedelic research.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on psilocybin, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. Patients with moderate-to-severe, unipolar, treatment-resistant major depression | 2016 | Open-label feasibility trial | n = 12 |
| Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up. Patients with severe, unipolar, treatment-resistant major depression | 2017 | Open-label trial | n = 20 |
| Pilot study of the 5-HT2AR agonist psilocybin in the treatment of tobacco addiction Psychiatrically healthy nicotine-dependent smokers | 2014 | Open-label pilot study | n = 15 |
| Quality of Acute Psychedelic Experience Predicts Therapeutic Efficacy of Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression Patients with treatment-resistant depression | 2018 | Clinical trial | n = 20 |
| Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Psilocybin in 9 Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Subjects with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) | 2006 | Controlled clinical trial |
Citations in the library
Cited by 52
- Efficacy and safety of psychedelics for the treatment of mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research May 1, 2024
- A Systematic Review of Reporting Practices in Psychedelic Clinical Trials: Psychological Support, Therapy, and Psychosocial Interventions. Psychedelic Medicine December 1, 2023
- Are psychedelic medicines the reset for chronic pain? Preliminary findings and research needs Neuropharmacology April 2, 2023
- Psychedelic experiences and long-term spiritual growth: a systematic review Current Psychology July 12, 2024
- Acceptability of psilocybin‐assisted group therapy in patients with cancer and major depressive disorder: Qualitative analysis Cancer December 18, 2023
and 47 more in the library
Cites 17
- 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
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
- Patients’ Accounts of Increased “Connectedness” and “Acceptance” After Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression Journal of Humanistic Psychology June 19, 2017
and 12 more in the library