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Psilocybin-assisted therapy for relapse prevention in alcohol use disorder: a phase 2 randomized clinical trial

Raoul Bitar, Simon Halm, Christina Rossgoderer, Ladina P Gubser, Maeva Thévenaz, Yara Kreis, Carlos Nordt, Monika Visentini, Flora Moujaes, Andres Ort, Erich Seifritz, Marcus Herdener, Nathalie M. Rieser, Robin von Rotz, Etna Engeli, Franz X. Vollenweider, Katrin H. Preller

EClinicalMedicine March 14, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103149 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed
Population Patients with alcohol use disorder
Topics Addiction Psilocybin
Keywords Randomized controlled trial Relapse prevention Psychotherapist Clinical trial
Citations 42
Key findings Psilocybin-assisted therapy significantly reduced heavy drinking days compared to a control condition in patients with alcohol use disorder.

Abstract

Swiss National Science Foundation under the framework of Neuron Cofund, Swiss Neuromatrix Foundation, and Heffter Young Investigator Fellowship Award.

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on psilocybin for addiction, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Percentage of Heavy Drinking Days Following Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy vs Placebo in the Treatment of Adult Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder Adults aged 25–65 with DSM-IV alcohol dependence and at least 4 heavy drinking days in... 2022 Randomized controlled trial n = 95
Clinical Interpretations of Patient Experience in a Trial of Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy for Alcohol Use Disorder Participants in an ongoing trial of psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol use disorder 2018 Double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial n = 3
Psilocybin-induced changes in neural reactivity to alcohol and emotional cues in patients with alcohol use disorder: an fMRI pilot study Adult patients with alcohol use disorder 2024 Pilot study; randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial n = 11
Psilocybin for alcohol use disorder: Rationale and design considerations for a randomized controlled trial. Alcohol-dependent volunteers 2022 Randomized controlled trial n = 96
Multidimensional Personality Changes Following Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy in Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder: Results From a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial People with alcohol use disorder 2025 Randomized controlled trial

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Addiction Psilocybin Psychedelic-assisted therapy

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Psilocybin for addiction