Evaluating the value and risks of psychedelics for psychiatric medicine: a clinical perspective.
Donatella Marazziti, Francesco Weiss, Riccardo Gurrieri, Gerardo Russomanno, Matteo Gambini, Anna Magnesa, Andrea Coccoglioniti, Giulio Perugi
Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics February 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2024.2445016 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | DMT LSD Mescaline Psilocybin |
| Keywords | 5-ht2a agonist Psychedelics hallucinogens Entheogens Clinical psychiatry Psychedelic compounds Therapeutic use |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | Psychedelics show therapeutic potential across a range of conditions with limited risk of adverse reactions when administered in controlled settings, but further studies are needed to clarify benefits and risks. |
Abstract
After a long period of obscurantism, a possible role of psychedelics in clinical practice has progressively become a tangible perspective during the last two decades. However, the resounding enthusiasm linked to such 'psychedelic renaissance' runs the risk to unduly minimize the possible hazards associated with these compounds, while expanding their alleged benefits to improbable panacea-like proportions. In order to avoid mystifying or demonizing the properties of 5-HT2a agonists on emotional grounds, this subject requires a strictly unprejudiced and cautious approach to the evidence. In this article, the authors attempted to comprehensively analyze the available literature to provide a balanced overview of the possible benefits of psychedelics in healthcare, taking into account their potential risks. To date, psychedelics have shown a therapeutic potential in a wide range of conditions, with a seemingly limited risk of inducing adverse reactions, including abuse and dependence, when administered in a controlled environment by specialized personnel. In any case, although several questions remain unanswered before drawing firm conclusions, further studies are needed to establish which conditions and subjects could benefit from psychedelics and which patients bear the greater risk of adversities.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on mescaline, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study of a New Schizophrenomimetic Drug—Sernyl | 1959 | Review | |
| Hallucinogens and Serotonin 5-HT2A Receptor-Mediated Signaling Pathways | 2017 | Review | |
| Hallucinogens in Mental Health: Preclinical and Clinical Studies on LSD, Psilocybin, MDMA, and Ketamine | 2020 | Review | |
| Legal highs: staying on top of the flood of novel psychoactive substances | 2015 | Review | |
| Psychedelic Drugs in Biomedicine | 2017 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Breaking the chains of depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis of psilocybin therapy Journal of Affective Disorders December 17, 2025
- Contemplating versus having used psychedelics in bipolar disorder - What makes the difference? Journal of Affective Disorders February 1, 2026
- DT120 (MM120): a single-dose orally disintegrating formulation of lysergide tartrate for generalized anxiety disorder Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics October 8, 2026
- Psychedelic-assisted pharmacotherapy: clinical applications and regulatory considerations Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy March 24, 2026
Cites 146
- 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
- Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression New England Journal of Medicine April 14, 2021
- Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder JAMA Psychiatry November 4, 2020
and 141 more in the library