Revealing shortcomings in the assessment of psilocybin effects on OCD-related symptoms in preclinical and clinical studies: A systematic review
Marzieh Jalalian-Javadpour, Batool Ghorbani Yekta, Niloufar Reyhani, Shadi Hajizamani, Ali Azizi, Najma Khoshrooz Azad, Hamidreza Mohammadi, Salar Vaseghi
Journal of Affective Disorders Reports June 8, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadr.2026.101098 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Medline Disease Clinical trial Intensive care medicine |
| Key findings | All clinical studies reviewed showed improvement of OCD symptoms with psilocybin, but preclinical studies were rare and had conflicting results. |
Abstract
Psilocybin is a chemical compound found in certain types of hallucinogenic mushrooms, known as magic mushrooms. Evidence has shown potential therapeutic effects of psilocybin on different neuropsychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Although the efficacy of psilocybin in alleviating OCD symptoms has been reported, evidence is very limited. The present study aimed to review the results of previous studies that examined the effects of psilocybin (or dried mushroom or extract) on OCD-related symptoms in humans and rodents. PubMed electronic database was searched and 268 articles were found. After removal of duplications and unrelated articles, 15 articles were included. All clinical studies (both case reports and clinical trials) showed the improvement of OCD symptoms. Preclinical studies using OCD-like models were rare. We also found some conflicting results in preclinical studies. We suggested that the potential role of the OCD test, OCD-like behavior, and the time interval between the test and psilocybin administration (or the follow-up duration) could be involved in the final effect of psilocybin. In conclusion, the present study showed shortcomings in the assessment of psilocybin effects on OCD-related symptoms. In future, we need more detailed studies on the effect of psilocybin in preclinical OCD-like models. The type of the behavioral test and the type of OCD-like behavior in rodents may also influence the effects of psilocybin and should be considered. Clinical studies with dozens of participants are also needed.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on psilocybin, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Therapeutic effects of classic serotonergic psychedelics: A systematic review of modern‐era clinical studies Patients with cancer- or illness-related anxiety and depression, major depressive... | 2020 | Systematic review | n = 188 |
| Blinding and expectancy confounds in psychedelic randomized controlled trials | 2021 | Systematic review | |
| Antidepressive, anxiolytic, and antiaddictive effects of ayahuasca, psilocybin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD): a systematic review of clinical trials published in the last 25 years Patients from included clinical trials | 2016 | Systematic review | |
| The experimental effects of psilocybin on symptoms of anxiety and depression: A meta-analysis People with elevated symptoms of anxiety and depression | 2020 | Meta-analysis | n = 117 |
| Default Mode Network Modulation by Psychedelics: A Systematic Review Participants from included studies | 2022 | Systematic review |
Citations in the library
Cites 49
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- 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
- Psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol dependence: A proof-of-concept study Journal of Psychopharmacology January 13, 2015
- Psychedelics Promote Structural and Functional Neural Plasticity Cell Reports June 1, 2018
and 44 more in the library