Effect of psilocybin versus escitalopram on depression symptom severity in patients with moderate-to-severe major depressive disorder: observational 6-month follow-up of a phase 2, double-blind, randomised, controlled trial
David Erritzøe, Tommaso Barba, Kyle T. Greenway, Roberta Murphy, Jonny Martell, Bruna Giribaldi, Christopher Timmermann, Ashleigh Murphy-Beiner, Michelle Baker-Jones, David Nutt, Brandon Weiss, Robin Carhart-Harris
EClinicalMedicine September 23, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102799 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractIn a clinical trial, psilocybin therapy showed comparable effectiveness to a common SSRI antidepressant for treating depression, with both treatments leading to significant reductions in depressive symptoms over a follow-up period. The findings suggest psilocybin may offer a viable alternative to standard antidepressant medication, though the study's design and sample size limit the strength of conclusions.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Clinical trial Randomized Double-blind Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Depression Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Depression therapy Psychedelic medicine Clinical trials Treatment outcomes Follow-up |
| Citations | 46 |
| Key finding | Psilocybin therapy was as effective as an SSRI in reducing depressive symptoms over the follow-up period. |
Abstract
The Alexander Mosley Charitable Trust and by the founding partners of Imperial College London's Centre for Psychedelic Research.