According to the “biggest of its kind” clinical study, a new medication based on psilocybin, the active hallucinogen present in psychedelic, or magic mushrooms, significantly reduced depressive symptoms in patients when given as a single dose.
The trial was led by COMPASS Pathways and took place at 22 international sites, including King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN) and the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
The randomised, double-blind trial included 233 patients who received a 0.00088 ounce (25-milligram), 0.00035 ounces (10mg), and 3.5274e-5 ounce (1mg) dose of synthetic psilocybin, COMP360, administered together with psychological assistance. Researchers discovered that those who received the highest dosage experienced a higher reduction in depression three weeks after receiving the dose than those who received the lowest 1mg dose, according to the study.
Support must always be available because the groups did experience adverse effects such headaches, nausea, and suicidal thoughts.
For the approximately 100 million people with “treatment-resistant” depression, the experiment offers hope.
According to the study, 100 million people worldwide experience “treatment-resistant” depression, which means that at least two antidepressant treatments for major depressive disorder.
“This can lead to a slew of other issues that have a major impact on individuals and others around them. Treatment choices are frequently restricted and associated with negative side effects or stigma. As a result, new treatment paradigms are required, and clinical research on new treatments is important “Dr. James Rucker, co-leader of King’s IoPPN’s Psychoactive Trials Group and consultant psychiatrist at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, stated in a statement released by the institution.
Although it needs to be tested in clinical studies, psilocybin therapy may represent a new paradigm in medical care.
One-third of the group experienced quick remission three weeks after receiving the medication or 29% of the group that received the 25mg dose of psilocybin. This was in addition to a few treatment sessions. At the conclusion of the trial, one in three people were judged to be no longer depressed, and one in five people saw a considerable improvement after 12 weeks.
“The highest dose of COMP360 psilocybin had the most effect on people’s depression, and we noticed significant effects in a group of patients who were notoriously difficult to treat. This shows that COMP360 psilocybin has real pharmacological effects, which is important for its future acceptance as a therapy choice “said Dr. Guy Goodwin, COMPASS Pathways’ chief medical officer.
For some years, psilocybin has been the subject of research
The 12-week study found negative impacts for the group. Headache, nausea, and dizziness were reported by 84% of participants in the 25mg group, 75% in the 10mg group, and 72% in the 1mg group. According to the press release, According to the press release, all dose groups also experienced suicide thoughts and deliberate self-harm, which are “typical in studies of treatment-resistant depression.”
For a number of years, scientists have been studying how psilocybin, the psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms, relieves symptoms of major depression and treat alcohol addiction .
“These results represent a positive step forward. Our current aim is to research psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression in larger studies with more participants, evaluating it against a placebo and standard treatments, “Rucker stated.
The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
