Short-Term and Late-Term Effects of Psilocybin on Symptoms in Major Depression

Does a single dose of psilocybin have short- and long-term antidepressant effects on patients with recurrent major depressive disorder?In this randomized clinical trial of 35 participants, a single 25-mg dose of psilocybin produced a significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms compared with 100 mg of niacin according to the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale score on day 8. The duration of effect was more than 3 months.This study’s findings suggest that psilocybin may provide a rapid and relatively long-lasting antidepressant effect on major depressive disorder, warranting further investigation into repeated dosing or adjunctive treatment strategies.

Corresponding Author: Hampus Yngwe, MD, MSc, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, BioClinicum J4, Akademiska Stråket 1, SE-17164 Stockholm, Sweden (hampus.yngwe@ki.se).

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