Acute effects of psilocybin, LSD, mescaline found to be similar
The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update September 3, 2023 DOI: 10.1002/pu.31079 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial (ancillary study) Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Older adults with subthreshold depression or at high risk for depression |
| Interventions | Vitamin D3 Omega-3 fatty acids |
| Dose | Vitamin D3 2,000 IU/day and omega-3s 1 g/day |
| Duration | 2-year follow-up |
| Topics | LSD Mescaline Psilocybin |
| Key findings | Neither vitamin D3 nor omega-3 supplements reduced the risk of depression or improved mood scores compared with placebo in older adults with subthreshold depression or high risk factors. |
Abstract
Vitamin D3, omega-3s show no protection against late-life depression Some older adults with subthreshold depression or at high risk for depression might have elevated inflammation or poor vascular and metabolic health, suggesting that supplementation could improve mood in these individuals. An ancillary study to a trial of vitamin D3 and omega-3 fatty acids examined the effects of these supplements on indicated and selective prevention of late-life depression. The ancillary study included participants with subthreshold depression, defined as having clinically meaningful depressive symptoms without meeting DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder or dysthymia, and those with at least one high risk factor for depression, such as clinical anxiety or impaired activities of daily living. All participants in the larger trial received vitamin D3 2,000 IU/day and omega-3s 1 g/day or placebo. At 2-year follow-up, around 95% of all participants were taking at least two-thirds of the study supplements. Risk of incident depression at 2-year follow-up was higher in participants who had subthreshold depression. Neither vitamin D3 nor omega-3s affected risk of depression or change in mood scores compared with placebo. The investigators acknowledged that low overall case rates of depression limited the statistical power of the findings. They wrote in conclusion, “Findings do not support use of supplemental vitamin D3 or omega-3s for indicated and selective prevention of late-life depression.” [Vyas, C., et al. (2023). J Clin Psychiatry. https:// doi.org/10.4088/JCP.22m14629] ■
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on mescaline, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comparative acute effects of mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide, and psilocybin in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study in healthy participants. Healthy participants | 2023 | Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over | n = 32 |
| DOM (STP), a New Hallucinogenic Drug, and DOET: Effects in Normal Subjects Normal subjects | 1968 | Double-blind study | |
| Prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex and its attentional modulation in the human S-ketamine and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) models of psychosis Healthy volunteers | 2007 | Double-blind crossover study | n = 15 |
| Frenquel, a Blocking Agent Against Experimental LSD‐25 and Mescaline Psychosis Patients with ALS and pseudobulbar affect | 1955 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 140 |
| Assessment of the Acute Effects of 2C‐B vs. Psilocybin on Subjective Experience, Mood, and Cognition Healthy psychedelic-experienced participants | 2023 | Within-subjects, double-blind, placebo-controlled study | n = 22 |