Psilocybin is a psychoactive ingredient in hallucinogenic mushrooms and its properties to combat depression have been evaluated for years. Now, a new study directly comparing this experimental drug to a standard SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) antidepressant drug shows similar improvement in depressive symptoms, although psilocybin offers additional long-term benefits.
Comparison between psilocybin and the antidepressant escitalopram revealed similar improvements in depressive symptoms over a six-month period. However, patients taking psilocybin also reported better psychosocial functioning, including a greater sense of purpose in life and deeper psychological connection. This work was first presented at the ECNP Congress (Europe’s main scientific meeting dedicated to brain disease research) in Milan and a related article has been published in the journal eClinicalMedicine to coincide with the conference.
“This is the first study to compare the long-term effects of these two medications on overall well-being, and not just freedom from depression. In previous research we had found that both treatments led to similar improvements in the reduction of depressive symptoms in the first 6 weeks, such as sadness and negative emotions. However, this study demonstrates that psilocybin outperformed escitalopram in several aspects of well-being, such as meaning in life, work, and social relationships, and these results were maintained during the 6-month follow-up. Additionally, in previous studies, we saw that psilocybin also improved sexual desire, in contrast to SSRIs, which tend to reduce libido in many patients. Overall, it appears that psilocybin could offer additional mental health benefits,” lead researcher Tommaso Barba, a PhD candidate at Imperial College London, commented in a Congress press release.
Psilocybin therapy improved social functioning
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft, are one of the main primary treatments for depression. However, around a third of patients do not respond to treatment with SSRIs, so for them psilocybin could be an alternative, although this was not studied in this trial.
Researchers at Imperial College London conducted a 6-month study (phase 2, double-blind, randomized controlled trial) with 59 patients suffering from moderate to severe depression. Of them, 30 were treated with a single dose of psilocybin, while 29 received a six-week treatment with escitalopram.
Both groups received similar psychological support, approximately 20 hours in total. Both groups showed significant improvements in depressive symptoms, even up to 6 months after treatment. However, patients treated with psilocybin reported greater improvements in their social functioning and sense of psychological connection.
“Psilocybin outperformed escitalopram in several aspects of well-being, such as meaning in life, work, and social relationships, and these results were maintained during the 6-month follow-up”
“This is important because greater connection and meaning in life can significantly improve quality of life and mental health in the long term. The study suggests that psilocybin therapy could be a more comprehensive option for treating depression, addressing both symptoms and overall well-being. “This could make a big difference to the happiness and daily activities of those suffering from depression,” co-lead author Dr. David Erritzoe, clinical director and deputy head of the Center for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London, explained in the same statement.
The researchers noted that patients were only treated for 6 weeks, and many received additional treatments during the 6-month follow-up. Dr. Erritzoe has warned that psilocybin is an experimental drug that has not yet been approved for general use, so it is administered under medical supervision in controlled and protected environments, while its recreational use can have unpredictable and potentially harmful effects. , especially for vulnerable people with mental health problems.
For his part, Johan Lundberg, associate professor of Psychiatry at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, who was not involved in this study, said that this work is an important attempt to compare the clinical value of psilocybin with a cutting-edge treatment for major depressive disorder, but has some limitations. And he adds that if psilocybin is finally approved to treat major depression, it will not be indicated for all patients, since some could “feel intimidated by the perceptual and emotional changes generated by psychedelic drugs.”
