Psilocybin as a disease-modifying drug—a salutogenic approach in psychiatry
Moritz Spangemacher, Andrea Jungaberle, Henrik Jungaberle, Gerhard Gründer, Lea J. Mertens, Luca V. Färber
Deutsches Ärzteblatt international December 16, 2024 DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.m2024.0224 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Psilocybin |
| Topics | LSD Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Drug Psychoactive substance Pharmacology Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy may be the first disease-modifying treatment in psychiatry. |
Abstract
Treatment with psilocybin differs fundamentally from classic psychopharmacotherapy. Its potentially transdiagnostic, rapid, and sustainable efficacy and its positive effect on further dimensions of mental health beyond the patient's symptoms and psychopathology imply that it may have diseasemodifying and salutogenic mechanisms of action. Psychotherapy accompanied by the administration of psychedelic drugs may turn out to be the first disease-modifying treatment in the history of psychiatry.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on psilocybin, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| The pharmacology of psilocybin | 2002 | Review | |
| Serotonin research: contributions to understanding psychoses | 2008 | Review | |
| Psychedelics, Meditation, and Self-Consciousness | 2018 | Review | |
| The abuse potential of medical psilocybin according to the 8 factors of the Controlled Substances Act | 2018 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Efficacy and Safety of Psilocybin in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression JAMA Psychiatry March 18, 2026
- Psilocybin Production With Genetically Modified Aspergillus nidulans Under Pressurized Conditions Biotechnology and Bioengineering December 30, 2025
- Long-Term Efficacy of Psilocybin with Adjunct Psychotherapy in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression (EPIsoDE): 6- and 12-Month Naturalistic Follow-Up of a Phase 2b Trial. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics May 27, 2026
- Exploring the potential psychological predictors associated with changes in depression, anxiety, and well-being following naturalistic psychedelic use. Journal of Psychiatric Research November 1, 2025
- Candidate Biomarkers of Bipolar Disorder Progression: Implications for Ketamine and Psychedelic Interventions. Molecular Neurobiology July 28, 2026
Cites 39
- 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
- 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
- Single-Dose Psilocybin for a Treatment-Resistant Episode of Major Depression. New England Journal of Medicine November 3, 2022
and 34 more in the library