Enlightenment in a Pill—Testing the Efficacy of Psilocybin
James I. Hudson, Harrison G. Pope
JAMA Psychiatry March 18, 2026 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2026.0070 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA guided psychedelic experience with psilocybin may treat refractory depression by inducing a mystical experience, rather than through a simple biological drug effect. The text suggests that the therapeutic benefit could stem from the profound, transformative nature of the experience, as conceptualized by William James.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Commentary Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Refractory depression |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key finding | Argues that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy may alleviate refractory depression through a mystical experience rather than a direct biological drug effect. |
Abstract
Can a guided psychedelic experience with psilocybin successfully treat refractory depression? In other words, setting aside any simple direct biological drug effect, can psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy1 alleviate suffering via what William James would call a mystical experience?2