Psychedelic Medicines in Major Depression: Progress and Future Challenges.
José Carlos Bouso, Genís Ona, Rafael G. Dos Santos, Jaime E. C. Hallak
Advances in experimental medicine and biology 2021 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-33-6044-0_26 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Ayahuasca Depression Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Hallucinogens Mental health Psychedelics |
| Citations | 6 |
| Key findings | Psychedelic drugs like psilocybin and ayahuasca are being studied as adjuncts to psychotherapy for mental disorders including major depression, with neurobiological mechanisms potentially linked to therapeutic properties. |
Abstract
The volume of research on the therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs has been increasing during the last decades. Partly because of the need of innovative treatments in psychiatry, several studies have assessed the safety and efficacy of drugs like psilocybin or ayahuasca for a wide range of mental disorders, including major depression. The first section of this chapter will offer an introduction to psychedelic research, including a brief historical overview and discussions about appropriate terminology. In the second section, the recently published clinical trials in which psychedelic drugs were administered to patients will be analysed in detail. Then, in the third section, the main neurobiological mechanisms of these drugs will be described, noting that while some of these mechanisms could be potentially associated with their therapeutic properties, they are commonly used as adjuvants in psychotherapeutic processes. The last section suggests future challenges for this groundbreaking field of research and therapy.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on ayahuasca for depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered clinical studies investigating psychedelic drugs for psychiatric disorders. Registered clinical trials on clinicaltrials.gov evaluating psychedelics for... | 2021 | Review | n = 70 |
| Serotonergic psychedelics for depression: What do we know about neurobiological mechanisms of action? | 2023 | Narrative review | |
| Role of Psychedelics in Treatment-Resistant Depression. | 2023 | Review | |
| Ayahuasca for the Treatment of Depression. | 2022 | Review | |
| Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Psychedelics in Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). | 2024 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Cross-Sectional Associations Between Lifetime Use of Psychedelic Drugs and Psychometric Measures During the COVID-19 Confinement: A Transcultural Study Frontiers in Psychiatry June 16, 2021
- Randomized Controlled Trials of Psilocybin‐Assisted Therapy in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica December 3, 2024
- How to account for hallucinations in the interpretation of the antidepressant effects of psychedelics: a translational framework. Psychopharmacology March 29, 2022
- Hallucinations and Hallucinogens: Psychopathology or Wisdom? Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry June 1, 2023
- Associations Between Ayahuasca Use in Naturalistic Settings and Mental Health and Wellbeing Outcomes: Analysis of a Large Global Dataset. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs November 23, 2024
Cites 52
- 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
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry May 17, 2016
- Pilot Study of Psilocybin Treatment for Anxiety in Patients With Advanced-Stage Cancer Archives of General Psychiatry September 7, 2010
- Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 23, 2012
and 47 more in the library