In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial of 29 patients with cancer-related anxiety and depression, a single moderate dose of psilocybin (0.3 mg/kg) given with psychotherapy produced rapid, substantial and sustained reductions in anxiety and depression versus niacin, with around 60–80% of participants maintaining clinically significant improvements at 6.5 months. Psilocybin also reduced demoralisation and hopelessness, improved spiritual wellbeing, quality of life and attitudes to death, and the intensity of the psilocybin-induced mystical experience mediated its therapeutic effects.
Papers cited by this study that are also in Blossom
Barrett, F. S., Johnson, M. W., Griffiths, R. R. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2015)
Background
Clinically significant anxiety and depression are common in patients with cancer, and are associated with poor psychiatric and medical outcomes. Historical and recent research suggests a role for psilocybin to treat cancer-related anxiety and depression.
Methods
In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial, 29 patients with cancer-related anxiety and depression were randomly assigned and received treatment with single-dose psilocybin (0.3 mg/kg) or niacin, both in conjunction with psychotherapy. The primary outcomes were anxiety and depression assessed between groups prior to the crossover at 7 weeks.
Results
Prior to the crossover, psilocybin produced immediate, substantial, and sustained improvements in anxiety and depression and led to decreases in cancer-related demoralization and hopelessness, improved spiritual wellbeing, and increased quality of life. At the 6.5-month follow-up, psilocybin was associated with enduring anxiolytic and anti-depressant effects (approximately 60–80% of participants continued with clinically significant reductions in depression or anxiety), sustained benefits in existential distress and quality of life, as well as improved attitudes towards death. The psilocybin-induced mystical experience mediated the therapeutic effect of psilocybin on anxiety and depression.
Conclusions
In conjunction with psychotherapy, single moderate-dose psilocybin produced rapid, robust and enduring anxiolytic and anti-depressant effects in patients with cancer-related psychological distress.
Persistent, clinically significant anxiety and/or depressive symptoms affect a substantial proportion of patients with cancer and are associated with poorer medical and psychosocial outcomes, including increased healthcare use, reduced quality of life, greater hopelessness and higher suicide risk. Existing pharmacological and psychosocial treatments for cancer-related psychological distress have mixed efficacy, delayed onset for antidepressants, notable side effects, and no approved medications specifically for this indication. Previous open-label and early controlled trials with serotonergic psychedelics suggested potential benefits for cancer-related existential distress, and growing evidence links higher existential/spiritual wellbeing with better psychological outcomes in cancer care. Ross and colleagues set out to test whether a single moderate oral dose of psilocybin (0.3 mg/kg), administered alongside a manualised psychotherapy platform, would reduce anxiety and depression in patients with life‑threatening cancer compared with an active control (niacin 250 mg) plus the same psychotherapy. The trial aimed to assess both immediate effects and durability up to several months, and to examine whether the intensity of mystical-type subjective experiences mediated clinical outcomes.
This was a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled crossover trial in which 29 patients with cancer-related clinically significant anxiety or depression were allocated to one of two dosing sequences: psilocybin first then niacin, or niacin first then psilocybin. The single-dose psilocybin was 0.3 mg/kg orally and the active control was oral niacin 250 mg. Drug administration dose 1 occurred about 2–4 weeks after baseline assessment, and the crossover (dose 2) took place 7 weeks after dose 1. The total study participation lasted approximately 9 months, with assessments at multiple time points including 1 day pre-dose, several post-dose visits (1 day, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 7 weeks) and a long-term follow-up 26 weeks after dose 2. Participants were recruited primarily from an academic cancer centre; of 108 pre-screened, 42 consented and 29 were randomised and treated. Inclusion required a SCID-derived anxiety-related diagnosis (90% met criteria for an adjustment disorder, 10% for generalized anxiety disorder) and no current psychotropic medication. Nearly two-thirds had stage III/IV cancer and 59% had prior antidepressant or anxiolytic treatment but were off psychotropics at enrolment. Outcomes comprised co-primary clinical measures of anxiety and depression assessed repeatedly: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) anxiety and depression subscales and total, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Spielberger State‑Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) state and trait scales. Secondary measures assessed cancer-related existential distress (Demoralization, Hopelessness, Death Anxiety, Death Transcendence), quality of life (WHO-BREF), spiritual wellbeing (FACIT-SWB), persisting effects (PEQ), and subjective drug effects including the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ 30). Safety monitoring included adverse events and cardiovascular measures during sessions. Statistical analyses used mixed-effect repeated measures (MMRM) regressions with an AR(1) covariance structure for continuous longitudinal outcomes, reporting planned between-group comparisons prior to the crossover as primary tests. Between-group effect sizes were calculated with Cohen's d. Clinically significant response was prespecified as ≥50% reduction on relevant scales; antidepressant remission required ≥50% reduction plus HADS D ≤7 or BDI ≤12. Additional analyses included within-group comparisons, ANOVA to compare magnitude of change across psilocybin sessions, chi-square tests for categorical response rates, Spearman correlations between MEQ scores and clinical change, partial correlations controlling for rated intensity, and bootstrap mediation analyses (PROCESS macro) to test whether MEQ total mediated treatment effects.
Enduring clinically significant anxiety and/or depressive symptoms are common in patients with cancer, present in 30-40% of patients in hospital settings. These symptoms are associated with a variety of poor outcomes, including medication non-adherence, increased health care utilization, adverse medical outcomes, decreased quality of life, decreased social function, increased disability, hopelessness, increased pain, increased desire for hastened death, increased rates of suicide, and decreased survival rates. Although pharmacotherapeutic and psychosocial interventions are commonly used to treat anxiety and depression in cancer patients, their efficacy is mixed and limited. There are no US Food and Drug Administration approved pharmacotherapies for cancer-related psychological distress, the onset of clinical improvement with anti-depressants is delayed, relapse rates are high, and significant side effects compromise treatment adherence.
With a growing body of evidence linking higher levels of existential/spiritual wellbeing (in cancer patients) with improved quality of life and decreased depression/hopelessness/suicidality, the need to develop effective therapeutic approaches to mitigate this domain of distress has become increasingly recognized within the disciplines of palliative care and psycho-oncology (emphasized within the last two decades by the Institute of Medicine, the World Health Organization, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, the Joint Commission, the National Consensus Project, and the National Quality Forum) and improvement in these domains is now accepted as an integral component in the care of cancer patients. A number of manualized existentially oriented psychotherapies have been developed to address these existential/spiritual issues, with some empirical support from clinical trials, and several of these approaches were integrated into the therapy platform developed for this study. There are currently no pharmacotherapies or evidence-based combined pharmacological-psychosocial interventions to treat this particular type of distress and unmet clinical need in cancer patients. Psilocybin, a tryptamine serotoninergic psychedelic, exerts its consciousness altering effects via 5HT2A agonism. It has a well-established physiological and psychological safety profile in human laboratory and clinical trial research, is not known to be addictive and may have anti-addictive properties. It can produce highly salient spiritual/mystical states of consciousness associated with enduring (months to years) positive changes in cognition, affect, behavior, and spirituality. From the early 1960s to the early 1970s, clinical research utilizing the serotoninergic psychedelics, primarily lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), to treat terminal cancer-related psychological and existential distress was conducted at major academic medical centers in the United States with a total of several hundred participants. These studies occurred largely in the context of open-label trials and showed improvements in the following symptom domains: anxiety, depression, fear of dying, quality of life, and pain. Research into the use of hallucinogen treatment models for psycho-spiritual distress in advanced or terminal cancer ceased in the mid 1970s with the passage of the Controlled Substance Act of 1970, which placed all of the serotoninergic psychedelics into schedule I of the US Drug Enforcement Administration's classification of regulated psychoactive substances. Building upon hallucinogen research with cancer patients from over four decades ago, two recently published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with serotoninergic psychedelics to treat cancer-related psychological distress, one using psilocybin in patients with advanced-stage cancer conducted at Harbor-UCLAand the other using LSD in patients with a variety of life-threatening illnesses including but not limited to cancer diagnoses, suggested acute and sustained treatment benefits. The University of California Los Angeles RCT in patients with advanced-stage cancer included a cohort of 12 participants and reported on the medical and psychiatric safety of administering low-dose psilocybin (0.2 mg/kg) in conjunction with psychotherapy, and revealed trends towards reduced depression and anxiety in the psilocybin group compared to the control condition. In the present RCT, the primary hypothesis was that psilocybin, in conjunction with targeted psychotherapy, would significantly decrease anxiety and depression symptoms (compared to an active control, niacin, and the same dose of psychotherapy as the experimental group) in patients with life-threatening cancer diagnoses.
Create a free account to open full-text PDFs.
Carbonaro, T. M., Bradstreet, M. P., Barrett, F. S. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2016)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Erritzoe, D., Williams, T. et al. · PNAS (2012)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Leech, R., Shanahan, M. et al. · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2014)
William Deakin, J. F., Lees, J., McKie, S. et al. · JAMA Psychiatry (2008)
Gasser, P., Holstein, D., Michel, Y. et al. · Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease (2014)
Griffiths, R. R. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2008)
Griffiths, R. R., Richards, W. A., Mccann, U. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2006)
Grob, C. S., Danforth, A. L., Chopra, G. S. et al. · JAMA Psychiatry (2011)
Grof, S., Goodman, L. E., Richards, W. A. · Pharmacopsychiatry (1973)
Johnson, M. W., Garcia-Romeu, A., Cosimano, M. P. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2014)
Johnson, M. W., Richards, W. A., Griffiths, R. R. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2008)
Krebs, T. S., Johansen, P. Ø. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2012)
Krebs, T. S., Johansen, P. ˚. Ø. · PLOS ONE (2013)
MacLean, K. A., Leoutsakos, J. S., Johnson, M. W. et al. · Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (2012)
Vollenweider, F. X., Kometer, M. · Nature Reviews Neuroscience (2010)
Zanos, P., Moaddel, P. J., Morris, P. J. et al. · Nature (2016)
Papers in Blossom that reference this study
Yngwe, H., Plavén-Sigray, P., Ekman, C. J. et al. · JAMA Network Open (2026)
Plotkin, J., Zhu, E., Druart, M. et al. · Biorxiv (2026)
Hendricks, P. S., Lappan, S. N., Shelton, R. C. et al. · JAMA Network Open (2026)
Lyons, T., Spriggs, M. J., Kerkelä, L. et al. · Nature Communications (2026)
Orsini, D. K., Wong, S., Di Luch, S. et al. · JAMA Psychiatry (2026)
Back, A. L., McGregor, B. A., Thorn, L. L. et al. · 2026
Orłowski, P., Domagalik, A., Bola, M. · Human Brain Mapping (2026)
Stocker, K., Hartmann, M., Barrett, F. S. et al. · Religion, Brain & Behavior (2026)
Williams, Z. J., Barnett, H., Szigeti, B. · JAMA Psychiatry (2026)
Mertens, L. J., Koslowski, M., Betzler, F. et al. · JAMA Psychiatry (2026)
Gregorio, G. D., Basset, S., Manmohan, H. et al. · Research Square (2026)
Garcia-Romeu, A., Naudé, G. P., Rebman, A. W. et al. · Scientific Reports (2026)
Jacobs, E., Zahid, Z., Hinkle, J. et al. · BMJ (2026)
Goldy, S. P., Sepeda, N. D., Hilbert, S. N. et al. · Psychiatry Research (2026)
Griffiths, R. R., Jesse, R., Richards, W. A. et al. · Psychedelic Medicine (2026)
Sample characteristics: Twenty-nine participants completed the first dosing session; mean age was 56.3 years (range 22–75), 62% were women and 90% Caucasian. Cancer types were predominantly breast/reproductive (59%), gastrointestinal (17%) and haematologic (14%); 62% had stage III/IV disease. About 45% reported prior hallucinogen use and 52% reported some organised religious faith. The two dose-sequence groups did not differ significantly on demographic or clinical variables. Safety and tolerability: No serious adverse events (medical or psychiatric) were attributed to psilocybin or niacin. During psilocybin sessions common medical adverse events included transient, non-clinically significant elevations in blood pressure and heart rate (76%), headaches/migraines (28%) and nausea (14%). Psychiatric adverse events were mostly transient anxiety (17%) and brief psychotic-like symptoms in two participants (7%). Cardiovascular effects peaked around 180 minutes post-dose; peak mean systolic/diastolic BPs in the psilocybin-first group were 142/83 mmHg and peak mean heart rate was 71 bpm at 300 minutes. No participants required pharmacologic rescue during sessions, developed dependence, had prolonged psychosis or required psychiatric hospitalisation. Primary outcomes: Prior to the crossover (the primary between-group comparison window), psilocybin produced immediate, substantial and sustained reductions in anxiety and depression relative to niacin across all six primary measures (HADS total, HADS anxiety, HADS depression, BDI, STAI state, STAI trait). Between-group effect sizes (Cohen's d) were large at 1 day, 2 weeks, 6 weeks and 7 weeks post-dose 1. Within-group analyses showed that the psilocybin-first group had significant reductions from baseline at each post-baseline time point, with effects remaining significant up to the final assessment (26 weeks after dose 2, ~8 months post‑psilocybin). The niacin-first group showed little or transient change prior to crossover but, after receiving psilocybin in session 2, demonstrated significant within-group improvements that persisted to study end. Categorical response rates were notable: at 7 weeks after dose 1, 83% of the psilocybin-first group met BDI-defined antidepressant response versus 14% in the niacin-first group; anxiolytic response (HADS A) was 58% versus 14%. At the 6.5-month follow-up (after both groups had received psilocybin), approximately 60–80% of participants maintained clinically significant reductions in depression or anxiety. Secondary outcomes and persisting effects: Two weeks after dose 1, psilocybin versus niacin produced reductions in cancer-related demoralization and hopelessness, and increased spiritual wellbeing and several domains of quality of life (physical, psychological, environmental). Many of these benefits were sustained at the 26-week post-dose 2 follow-up. Measures of death anxiety did not show short-term or long-term reductions, although death transcendence (attitudes/adaptations towards death) improved significantly at the 26-week follow-up in the psilocybin-first group. Persisting Effects Questionnaire responses indicated that psilocybin sessions yielded lasting positive changes in attitudes, mood, social behaviour and spirituality; at 26 weeks after dose 2, 52% and 70% of participants rated the psilocybin session among the single most or top-five most spiritually significant or personally meaningful experiences of their lives, and 87% reported increased life satisfaction or wellbeing attributed to the experience. Mystical experience and mediation: Psilocybin produced higher MEQ 30 scores than niacin. MEQ total at 7 hours post-dose 1 correlated with change scores from baseline to 6 weeks post-dose 1 on several primary measures (for example, BDI r=0.49, P=0.01; HADS total r=0.39, P=0.04; STAI state r=0.42, P=0.03). Partial correlations controlling for participant-rated intensity maintained significant associations for most measures. Bootstrap mediation analyses indicated that MEQ total significantly mediated a portion of the psilocybin versus niacin effect on four primary outcomes with point estimates (ab) and bias-corrected 95% CIs reported for HADS total (ab=0.46, 95% CI 0.01–0.97), HADS depression (ab=0.43, 95% CI 0.01–1.23), BDI (ab=0.79, 95% CI 0.23–1.29) and STAI state (ab=0.65, 95% CI 0.13–1.16).
Ross and colleagues interpret the findings as showing that a single moderate dose of psilocybin, given alongside a targeted psychotherapy platform, produced rapid, robust and durable reductions in cancer-related anxiety and depression. They highlight the novelty that one medication administration produced immediate clinical effects that persisted for weeks to months, noting that within-group reductions occurred after psilocybin in both dosing sequences and that between-group differences prior to crossover were substantial. The authors situate their results within prior work, noting consistency with historical psychedelic studies in cancer patients and with recent open-label trials reporting enduring antidepressant effects after single or limited dosing of serotonergic psychedelics. They contrast the durability observed here with the typically shorter-lived effects of single-dose ketamine, and they place the observed high response rates in the context of meta-analyses that have generally found limited antidepressant efficacy in cancer populations with conventional antidepressants. Safety observations are emphasised: no serious adverse events attributed to psilocybin occurred, and the observed transient cardiovascular and psychological effects were consistent with previous controlled studies. The investigators stress the need to monitor and manage transient difficult psychological states during sessions but report no cases of prolonged psychosis, hallucinogen persisting perceptual disorder or addiction in this cohort. Acknowledged limitations include the small sample size, a predominantly Caucasian and female sample limiting generalisability, the crossover design that complicates attribution of sustained effects after crossover, and the use of an active control (niacin) that provided imperfect blinding. The authors note it is unclear whether sustained benefits arise from psilocybin alone or from interactions between psilocybin and the psychotherapy platform, and they recommend future studies to disentangle these contributions and to replicate findings in larger, more diverse samples. Regarding mechanisms, the discussion summarises both neurobiological and psycho-spiritual hypotheses advanced by the authors. Neurobiological possibilities mentioned include 5-HT2A receptor modulation, downstream effects on glutamatergic transmission, AMPA receptor activation and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, and acute changes in medial prefrontal and default mode network activity observed in imaging studies. Psycho-spiritual mechanisms focus on the mystical-type experiences occasioned by psilocybin; the magnitude of these experiences correlated with and statistically mediated portions of clinical improvement, suggesting they are one plausible pathway through which psilocybin may produce therapeutic benefit. The authors emphasise that the mystical experience is likely one of several mediators and call for further research into which experiential dimensions predict clinical response and how to promote them safely.
The investigators conclude that, when administered with appropriate psychotherapy, a single moderate dose of psilocybin was safely given to patients with cancer-related psychological distress and produced rapid and sustained reductions in anxiety and depression, decreased existential distress, increased spiritual wellbeing and quality of life, and improved attitudes toward death. They report that mystical-type experiences mediated part of the anxiolytic and antidepressant effects. The authors recommend further empirical research to definitively establish safety and efficacy and to clarify the relative contributions of the pharmacological agent and the psychotherapeutic context.
This randomized, blinded, controlled, crossover, study was designed to investigate the efficacy of a single psilocybin dosing session (0.3 mg/kg) versus one dosing session of an active control (niacin 250 mg), administered in conjunction with psychotherapy, to treat clinically significant anxiety or depression in patients with life-threatening cancer (see Supplementary Methods for information on inclusion/exclusion criteria, blinding procedures, medication sessions and psychotherapy procedures). The trial employed a two-session, double-blind, crossover (7 weeks after administration of dose 1) design to compare groups. Participants were randomly assigned to two oral dosing session sequences: psilocybin (0.3 mg/kg) first then niacin (250 mg) second, or niacin (250 mg) first then psilocybin (0.3 mg/kg) second (Figuresand). Randomization did not stratify for any demographic (i.e. gender, race, spiritual/religious affiliation) or clinical characteristics (i.e. stage of cancer, prior hallucinogen use). Drug administration dose 1 (psilocybin or control) occurred 2-4 weeks (mean 18 days) after baseline assessments and the crossover occurred 7 weeks (mean 52 days) after dose 1, at which point drug administration dose 2 occurred. Data assessments occurred at baseline (2-4 weeks prior to dose 1), 1 day prior to dose 1, day of dose 1 (7 hours post-dose), 1 day after dose 1, 2 weeks after dose 1, 6 weeks after dose 1, 7 weeks after dose 1 (1 day prior to dose 2), day of dose 2 (7 hours post-dose), 1 day after dose 2, 6 weeks after dose 2, and 26 weeks after dose 2 (Figure). The total duration of study participation was approximately 9 months (mean 253 days). The primary outcome variables were anxiety and depression assessed prior to the crossover. Secondary outcome measures (assessed before and after the crossover) included assessments of existential distress, quality of life, and spirituality, as well as measures assessing immediate and sustained effects of psilocybin administration on subjective (e.g. mystical) experience, cognition, affect, spirituality, and behavior.
Of 108 participants pre-screened, 42 gave informed consent and of these 29 patients were randomly assigned and received treatment with single-dose psilocybin or single-dose niacin control (Tableand Figure). The study was approved and monitored by the institutional review board of the New York University (NYU) School of Medicine. The majority of participants were recruited from a clinical cancer center at an academic medical facility (NYU Langone's Perlmutter Cancer Center). Data were collected from 18 February 2009 to 22 October 2014 and the analysis was conducted from 3 November 2014 to 11 December 2015. Nearly two-thirds of participants (62%) had advanced cancers (stages III or IV). The types of cancer included: breast or reproductive (59%); gastrointestinal (17%); hematologic (14%); other (10%). In accordance with the study's inclusion criteria, all participants carried an anxiety-related diagnosis per the severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV) with the majority meeting criteria for an adjustment disorder (26, 90%) and the rest for generalized anxiety disorder (three, 10%). Nearly two-thirds (59%) had previously been treated with anti-depressant or anxiolytic medication, but none were on any psychotropics at the time of study enrollment, per the inclusion/exclusion criteria.
Safety assessments. Adverse events (AEs) attributed to study medications (psilocybin, niacin) were monitored throughout the trial, including during and after medication administration sessions. Cardiovascular measures were assessed during medication sessions. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) were measured at the following time points during the medication dosing sessions: baseline,minutes post-dose administration. Primary Outcome Measures. Clinical primary outcome measures (anxiety, depression) were assessed at baseline, 1 day prior to dose 1, 1 day after dose 1, 2-weeks after dose 1, 6 weeks after dose 1, 7 weeks after dose 1 (corresponding to 1 day prior to dose 2), 1 day after dose 2, 6 weeks after dose 2, and 26 weeks after dose 2: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), self-rated subscales of anxiety (HADS anxiety or HAD A), depression (HADS depression or HAD D) and total (HADS total or HAD T) combined score in patients with physical health problems (e.g. cancer); Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)self-report depression measure; Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)self-report measure of state (STAI state or STAI S) and trait (STAI trait or STAI T) anxiety. Secondary outcome measures. Cancer-related existential distress (demoralization, hopelessness, attitudes and affect associated with disease progression and death) was assessed at baseline, 2 weeks post-dose 1, and 26 weeks post-dose 2: Demoralization (DEM) scale, self-report measure of the cancer-related demoralization syndrome (e.g. despair, helplessness, existential distress such as loss of hope/meaning/purpose in life, a sense of 'giving up', desire for hastened death); Hopelessness Assessment and Illness (HAI) scaleself-report measure of hopelessness in advanced cancer; Death Anxiety Scale (DAS)a self-report questionnaire assessing the level of death anxiety; Death Transcendence Scale (DTS) (VandeCreek, 1999) a self-report measure of positive attitudes and adaptations to the finitude of life. Quality of life was assessed at baseline, 2 weeks post-dose 1 and 26 weeks post-dose 2: World Health Organization Qualify of Life scale, brief version (WHO-Bref) (WHO, 1994), self-report measure of quality of life in four domains (physical, psychological, social relationships, environment). Spirituality was assessed at baseline, 2 weeks post-dose 1 and 26 weeks post-dose 2: Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-SWB)a self-report measure of spiritual wellbeing generating three scales: meaning/peace, faith, total spiritual wellbeing score. The meaning/peace scale assesses one's sense of inner peace, meaning, and purpose in life and corresponds to the more existential components of religious or spiritual practice. The faith scale measures strength and comfort derived from one's faith and emphasizes the more ritualized components of religious/spiritual practice. Temporal relationships between drug administration, psychosocial interventions, and assessments. Prep PT: preparatory psychotherapy; 1-day pre-D1: 1 day prior to dose 1; Dose 1: dosing session 1; 1-day post-D1: 1 day after dose 1; Post-integrative PT: post-integrative psychotherapy; 2-wks post-D1: 2 weeks after dose 1; 6-wks post-D1: 6 weeks after dose 1; Safety prep for D2: safety preparation for dosing dose 2; 1-day pre-D2: 1 day prior to dose 2; Dose 2: dosing session 2; 1-day post-D2: 1 day after dose 2; 6-wks post-D2: 6 weeks after dose 2; 26-wks post-D2: 2 weeks after dose 2. a The two dose-sequence groups did not significantly differ on any demographic or clinical characteristic measures. b Psychiatric classification was based on the structured clinical interview for the DSM-IV (SCID-IV). Nearly two-thirds (59%) of participants had previously been treated with anti-depressant or anxiolytic medication, but none were on any psychotropics before study enrollment per inclusion/exclusion criteria. Subjective drug effects/mystical experience was assessed at 7 hours after drug administration sessions and retrospectively at 26 weeks post-dose 2: the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ 30)is a self-report questionnaire that evaluates discrete mystical experiences induced by serotoninergic psychedelics and is sensitive to detecting psilocybin-induced mystical experiences. In addition to an MEQ total score, the questionnaire generates four empirically derived factors: mystical; positive mood; transcendence of time and space; and ineffability. A retrospective version of the MEQ 30 (MEQ retrospective scale) was administered at 26 weeks postdose 2. See Supplementary Methods section for more information on the MEQ 30 and for other measures of subjective drug effects/mystical experience measured 7 hours after drug administration sessions. Persisting effects of psilocybin were assessed at 2 weeks post-dose 1 and 26 weeks post-dose 2: the Persisting Effects Questionnaire (PEQ), a self-report measure of changes in attitudes, moods, behaviors and spiritual experiences, sensitive to the longitudinal effects of psilocybin administration. All participants (including in both the psilocybin first and niacin first groups) were asked at 26 weeks after dose 2 to reflect on the meaningfulness, spiritual significance and changes in wellbeing relative to what they guessed was their psilocybin dosing experience (see Supplementary Methods secondary outcome measures). See Supplementary Methods for other secondary outcome measures.
Whenever multiple time points were included in the analysis for continuous measures, repeated measures regressions, from the mixed effect repeated measurement (MMRM) model, were performed in SAS PROC MIXED using an AR(1) covariance structure and fixed effects of group and time. Comparison t-tests from the MMRM analyses are reported for the primary and the continuous secondary outcome measures (see below). For the primary outcome measures (anxiety, depression) in the two dosing sequences, planned between-group comparisons were made at the following time points: prior to the crossover at baseline, 1 day pre-dose 1, 1 day post-dose 1, 2 weeks post-dose 1, 6 weeks post-dose 1, 7 weeks post-dose 1 (corresponding to 1 day pre-dose 2) (Figure) and after the crossover at 1 day postdose 2, 6 weeks post-dose 2, and 26 weeks post-dose 2 (Figure). Between-group effect sizes were calculated using Cohen's d. Planned within-group comparison t-tests were conducted for each of the dosing sequences comparing the baseline to each of the following time points: 1 day pre-dose 1, 1 day post-dose 1, 2 weeks post-dose 1, 6 weeks post-dose 1, 7 weeks post-dose 1 (1 day pre-dose 2), 1 day post-dose 2, 6 weeks post-dose 2, 26 weeks post-dose 2 (Figuresand). Within-group effect sizes for the dosing sequences were calculated at each time point, compared to baseline, using Cohen's d (Supplementary Table). To assess whether the magnitude of psilocybin-induced change in anxiety and depression differed across treatment groups, we compared change scores on the six primary outcome measures across each participant's active (psilocybin) treatment session (from 1 day prior to psilocybin treatment to 1 day after psilocybin treatment) with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). For primary outcome measures (HAD D, BDI, HAD A, HAD T) that have empirical support in defining anti-depressant or anxiolytic response, clinically significant responses rates were defined as a 50% or greater reduction in the measure at a particular assessment point relative to baseline. Anti-depressant symptom remission (HAD D, BDI) was defined as 50% or greater reduction in depressive symptoms plus HADS D ⩽7or BDI ⩽12, respectively. Planned chi-square analyses were performed to compare the percentage of participants, in the psilocybin first versus the niacin first groups, who met criteria for anxiolytic or anti-depressant response, or anti-depressant remission (BDI, HAD D) at the following time points: 1 day post-dose 1, 7 weeks post-dose 1, and 26 weeks post-dose 2 (Figure). For cardiovascular measures assessed during the medication sessions, repeated measures regressions, from the mixed effect repeat measurement (MMRM) model, were conducted in SAS PROC MIXED using an AR(1) covariance structure and fixed effects of time, drug (psilocybin vs. niacin) and group (niacin first vs. psilocybin first) collapsed across treatment order at time points: baseline, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, 300, 360 post-dosing (Supplementary Figure). For the secondary outcome measures (cancer-related existential distress, quality of life, spirituality, persisting effects of psilocybin), planned between-group comparisons were conducted generating the following comparisons: 1. niacin first group 2 weeks post-dose 1 versus psilocybin first group 2 weeks post-dose 1; 2. niacin first group 2 weeks post-dose 1 versus niacin first group 26 weeks post-dose 2; 3. niacin first group 2 weeks postdose 1 versus psilocybin first group 26 weeks post-dose 2; 4. psilocybin first group 2 weeks post-dose 1 versus psilocybin first group 26 weeks post-dose 2 (Figure(bottom), Supplementary Table). Subjective drug effects/mystical experiences were compared between groups using an independent sample t-test run in SAS at three time points: 7 hours post-medication administration in sessions 1 and 2; and at 26 weeks post-dose 2 (Figure(top)). Anxiety and depression change scores for the primary outcome measures (ΔHADS T, ΔHADS A, ΔHADS D, ΔBDI, ΔSTAI S, ΔSTAI T) were calculated from baseline to 6 weeks post-dose 1 with either psilocybin or niacin. Spearman rank correlation coefficients were calculated between the change scores and participant ratings on the MEQ total at 7 hours post-dose 1 to assess the relationship between subjective mystical experience and change in clinical outcomes. Significant relationships were further examined using partial correlations to control for end of session participant-rated 'intensity' (item 98 from the HRS). In order to examine the mystical experience (using MEQ 30 scores) as a mediator of psilocybin versus niacin treatment on anxiety/depression outcomes, a bootstrap analysis was performed using the PROCESS macro). The bootstrapping method is a non-parametric approach that does not assume a normal distribution of the mediated effect, is appropriate with small sample sizes, and was used to estimate 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the mediation effect. See Supplemental Methods. See Supplementary Methods for additional statistical analysis.
As reported in Table, of the 29 participants who completed dose 1, the majority were Caucasian (90%) and women (62%). The average age was 56.3 (range 22-75) years. Approximately half of the participants reported some organized religious faith versus atheist/agnostic (52% vs. 48%) and slightly less than half reported no prior history of hallucinogen use (45%). Ninety per cent of participants met DSM-IV criteria for cancer-related adjustment disorder with anxious ± depressed features. The two dosesequence groups did not significantly differ on demographic or clinical characteristic measures. No dichotomous factors (i.e. gender, prior hallucinogen use vs. none, spiritual faith/religion vs. none, early vs. late cancer stage) significantly interacted with the primary outcome measures in between-group comparisons.
Adverse events. There were no serious AEs, either medical or psychiatric, in the trial that were attributed to either psilocybin or niacin. Regarding psychiatric AEs, no pharmacological interventions (e.g. benzodiazepines, anti-psychotics) were needed during dosing sessions, no participants abused or became addicted to psilocybin, there were no cases of prolonged psychosis or hallucinogen persisting perceptual disorder (HPPD), and no participants required psychiatric hospitalization. In terms of AEs attributable to psilocybin, the most common medical AEs were non-clinically significant elevations in BP and HR (76%), headaches/migraines (28%), and nausea (14%); the most common psychiatric AEs were transient anxiety (17%) and transient psychotic-like symptoms (7%: one case of transient paranoid ideation and one case of transient thought disorder). The medical AEs (non-clinically significant elevations in BP and HR, headaches, nausea), and psychiatric AEs (transient anxiety, transient near-psychotic symptoms) attributable to psilocybin are all known AEs of psilocybin, were transient, tolerable, and consistent with prior trials of psilocybin administration in normal volunteers, and patients with terminal cancer. Cardiovascular effects during dosing sessions. Compared to the control, psilocybin produced statistically significant (Top) Percentage of participants that reported 'among the top 5' or 'the single most' personally meaningful and spiritually significant experiences, 'moderate', 'strong' or 'extreme' positive behavioral change, and 'increased moderately' or 'increased very much' wellbeing or life satisfaction on the Persisting Effects Questionnaire (PEQ). Asterisks indicate significance level of comparison to the niacin first group at 2 weeks post-dose 1. There were no significant differences between the psilocybin first group at 2 weeks post-dose 1 versus the psilocybin first group at 26 weeks post-dose 2. (Bottom) Secondary measures of cancer-related existential distress (DEM, HAI, DAS, DTS), quality of life (WHO-Bref) and spirituality (FACIT). Measures are shown at 2 weeks post-dose 1 (psilocybin first n=14, niacin first n=14) and at 26 weeks post-dose 2 (psilocybin first n=11, niacin first n=12); asterisks indicate significance level of comparison to the niacin first group at 2 weeks post-dose 1. There were no significant differences between the psilocybin first group at 2 weeks post-dose 1 versus the psilocybin first group at 26 weeks post-dose 2. differences in the following cardiovascular measures and time points: systolic BP: 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, 300 minutes; diastolic BP 60, 90, 120, 180 minutes; pulse: 90, 120 minutes (see Supplementary Figure). Cardiovascular effects with psilocybin generally peaked at 180 minutes post-dosing and decreased towards pre-drug levels over the remainder of the session. Regarding the psilocybin first group, peak mean systolic and diastolic BPs were 142/83 (both recorded at 180 minutes post-dosing), while peak mean HR for this group was 71 at 300 minutes post-dosing (see Supplementary Figure). There were no serious adverse cardiac events, consistent with psilocybin's absence of cardiac toxicity when administered in controlled laboratory settings. The medical safety, time course, and magnitude of effects on these cardiovascular measures were consistent with those observed in previous studies of psilocybin in healthy volunteersand patients with advanced cancer.
For each of the six primary outcome measures (HADS T, HADS A, HADS D, BDI, STAI S, STAI T), there were significant differences between the experimental and control groups (prior to the crossover at 7 weeks post-dose 1) with the psilocybin group (compared to the active control) demonstrating immediate, substantial, and sustained (up to 7 weeks post-dosing) clinical benefits in terms of reduction of anxiety and depression symptoms (Figure). The magnitude of differences between the psilocybin and control groups (Cohen's d effect sizes) was large across the primary outcome measures, assessed at 1 day/2 weeks/ 6 weeks/7 weeks post-dose 1 (Figure). Treatment groups did not differ in magnitude of change (e.g. 1 day before compared to 1 day after) across their respective psilocybin treatment sessions for any of the primary outcome measures (BDI: F (1,26) =1.88, P=0.18; HADS A: F (1,26) =2.59, P=0.12; HADS D: F (1,26) =0.90, P=0.35; HADS T: F (1,26) =2.63, P=0.12; STAI S: F (1,26) =1.10, P=0.30; STAI T: F (1,26) =0.58, P=0.45). For all primary outcome measures, the psilocybin first group demonstrated significant within-group reductions (compared to baseline at each post-baseline assessment point) in anxiety and depression immediately after receiving psilocybin (Figuresand). These reductions remained significant at each time point, including the final point at 26 weeks post-dose 2 (approximately 8 months), post-psilocybin dosing. Prior to the crossover, the niacin first group demonstrated either no significant within-group reductions or a transient reduction that became non-significant prior to dose 2. For the majority (five/six) of the measures, the niacin first group demonstrated significant within-group reductions in anxiety and depression immediately after receiving the psilocybin dose (dosing session 2), and these statistically significant improvements persisted until the end of the study (approximately 6.5 months post-psilocybin dosing, 26 weeks post-dose 2, for this group). Psilocybin produced immediate and enduring anxiolytic and anti-depressant response rates, as well as significant anti-depressant remission rates (measured by the HADS D and BDI) (Figure). For example, 7 weeks after dose 1, 83% of participants in the psilocybin first group (vs. 14% in the niacin first group) met criteria for anti-depressant response (with the BDI) and 58% (in the psilocybin first group) for anxiolytic response using the HAD A, compared to 14% in the niacin first group. At the 6.5-month follow-up (after both groups received psilocybin), anti-depressant or anxiolytic response rates were approximately 60-80% (Figure).
Figureshows the comparisons between dose-sequence groups on the following secondary outcome measures: cancerrelated existential distress (demoralization, hopelessness, attitudes and affect associated with disease progression and death), quality of life, and spirituality. In the short-term (2 weeks postdose 1), psilocybin (compared to control) produced decreases in cancer-related demoralization and hopelessness, while improving spiritual wellbeing and quality of life (physical, psychological, environmental domains). These effects were sustained at the final 6.5 month follow-up. Regarding anxiety and attitudes towards death, the data were mixed. In the short-term (2 weeks post-dose 1), psilocybin was not significantly associated with decreased death anxiety or increased death transcendence. However, at the 26-week post-dose 2 final follow-up assessment, while death anxiety (as measured by the DAS) continued to demonstrate no significant reductions, there was a significant improvement in attitudes and adaptations towards death (as measured by the DTS) in the psilocybin first group compared to the niacin first group (assessed at 2 weeks post-dose 1). Supplementary Tableshows participant ratings of persisting effects attributed to the session experiences. As shown, prior to the crossover, psilocybin produced significantly greater ratings (compared to the niacin first group assessed at 2 weeks post-dose 1) of positive persisting effects on: attitudes about life and self, mood changes, social effects (e.g. increased altruism), behavior, and spirituality. After the crossover, these effects were sustained at the final 6.5-month follow-up. When all participants were asked (26 weeks post-session 2) to reflect on what they thought was their psilocybin session, 52% and 70% rated the psilocybin experience as the singular or top 5 most spiritually significant, or the singular or top 5 most personally meaningful experience of their entire lives, respectively; while 87% reported increased life satisfaction or wellbeing attributed to the experience (Figure(top)).
Compared to the control, psilocybin produced mystical-type experiences, consistent with prior trials of psilocybin administration in normal volunteersand patients with terminal cancer). Total mystical experience scores (MEQ 30) at the end of dose 1 (e.g. 7 hours post-drug administration) correlated with change scores (baseline to 6 weeks after dose 1) on four out of six primary outcome measures: HADS T (Spearman r=0.39; P=0.04); HADS A (Spearman r=0.36; P=0.07); HADS D (Spearman r=0.30; P=0.11); BDI (r=0.49; P=0.01); STAI S (r=0.42; P=0.03); STAI T (r=0.39; P=0.04). Partial correlations to control for participant-rated intensity of drug effect (item 98 from the HRS) continued to demonstrate significant effects of total mystical experience scores (MEQ total) on the change scores (baseline to 6 weeks after dose 1) of the primary outcome measures in five of six measures assessed: HADS T (Spearman r=0.49; P=0.009); HADS A (Spearman r=0.46; P=0.01); HADS D (Spearman r=0.35; P=0.07); BDI (r=0.48; P=0.01); STAI S (r=0.42; P=0.03); STAI T (r=0.40; P=0.04). MEQ total scores mediated (indirect effects) a significant portion of the effect of psilocybin versus niacin treatment on four out of six primary outcome measures with point estimates (ab) and bias corrected 95% CIs as follows: (HADS T (ab=0.46, SE=0.24, 95% CI 0.01-0.97), HADS D (ab=0.43, SE=0.32, 95% CI 0.01-1.23), BDI (ab=0.79, SE=0.26, 95% CI 0.23-1.29), and STAI S (ab=0.65, SE=0.25, 95% CI 0.13-1.16)] (Figure(bottom)). Thus, the amount by which ΔHADS T, ΔHADS D, ΔBDI, and ΔSTAI S can be expected to increase through MEQ total as a result of psilocybin versus niacin treatment is 0.46, 0.43, 0.79 and 0.65, respectively. For other analyses of secondary outcome measures, see Supplementary Results.
Single moderate-dose psilocybin, in conjunction with psychotherapy, produced rapid, robust, and sustained clinical benefits in terms of reduction of anxiety and depression in patients with lifethreatening cancer. This pharmacological finding is novel in psychiatry in terms of a single dose of a medication leading to immediate anti-depressant and anxiolytic effects with enduring (e.g. weeks to months) clinical benefits. Even though it is not possible to attribute causality of the experimental drug (in terms of sustained clinical benefit) after the crossover, the post-crossover data analyses of the two dosing sequences suggest that the clinical benefits, in terms of reduction of cancer-related anxiety and depression, of single-dose psilocybin (in conjunction with psychotherapy) may be sustained for longer than 7 weeks postdosing, and that they may endure for as long as 8 months postpsilocybin dosing. The acute and sustained anti-depressant effects of psilocybin in this trial are consistent with a recently published open-label study of oral psilocybin treatment in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in which psilocybin (25 mg) was associated with 1 week and 3 months postpsilocybin anti-depressant effects. The within-group analyses for the primary outcome measures demonstrate that immediately after receiving psilocybin there is a marked reduction in anxiety and depression scores for both the psilocybin first and niacin first groups. Also, the magnitude of psilocybin-induced change across each participant's active psilocybin treatment session did not differ across treatment group for any of the primary outcome measures. Together, this suggests that the pharmacological/psilocybin intervention produced rapid anti-depressant and anxiolytic clinical benefits. Both groups demonstrated significant clinical improvements in anxiety/ depression from baseline relative to the final assessment. It is unclear from the data whether the sustained benefits in clinical outcomes were due to psilocybin alone or some interactive effect of psilocybin plus the targeted psychotherapy. Future research would be necessary to separate out the various therapeutic contributions of psilocybin versus psychotherapy. Psilocybin was associated with substantial anti-depressant response rates (as high as approximately 80% at 6.5 months follow-up). There have been several meta-analyses of placebo controlled trials exploring the efficacy of anti-depressants in the treatment of cancer-related depression and they have generally failed to show a clear effect of anti-depressant treatment over placebo. In a meta-analyses of anti-depressants for major depressive disorder in patients with comorbid medical disorders (including cancer), anti-depressants were more effective than placebo in some medical conditions (e.g. HIV/AIDS, poststroke) but not in cancer patients, where the anti-depressants performed about as well as the approximately 40% placebo response rate.
Psilocybin decreased cancer-related demoralization (e.g. loss of meaning/hope/purpose, desire for hastened death) and hopelessness, while improving spiritual wellbeing, general life satisfaction, and quality of life. While a minority of patients with advanced or terminal cancer experience clinically relevant existential/spiritual distress, when it occurs its effects are highly consequential (e.g. decreased quality of life, increased depressive and anxiety symptoms, increased desire for hastened death, increased suicidal ideation and behaviors)and improving spiritual wellbeing (e.g. through a pharmacologicalpsychosocial intervention) could serve as a buffer against these negative clinical outcomes. Although affect/anxiety towards death did not improve in the short-term or longer-term follow-up period, psilocybin was associated with improved attitudes and adaptations to death at the 6.5-month follow-up. More research into this important therapeutic area is warranted. Psilocybin experiences were reported as highly meaningful and spiritual, and associated with positive cognitive, affective, spiritual, and behavioral effects lasting weeks to months. This finding is consistent with prior research administering psilocybin to normal volunteers.
There were no serious AEs, either medical or psychiatric, in the trial that were attributed to psilocybin. Since the early 1990s, approximately 2000 doses of psilocybin (ranging from low to high doses) have been safely administered to humans in the United States and Europe, in carefully controlled scientific settings, with no reports of any medical or psychiatric serious AEs, including no reported cases of prolonged psychosis or HPPD. This finding is consistent with a US populationdata from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health) based study that found no associations between lifetime use of any of the serotoninergic psychedelics (including psilocybin) and increased rates of mental illness. It is important to monitor closely for the emergence of transient difficult psychological states (e.g. anxiety, paranoia) in these trials and to manage them. Difficult experiences are not necessarily pathological and can be understood as part of the therapeutic process (e.g. working through cancer-related psychological or existential distress through challenging encounters or emotionally charged confrontations with cancer-related fearful imagery or symbolism).
This trial was limited by a relatively small sample size, a nonnationally representative cancer patient population (e.g. 62% women, 90% Caucasian), which decreases generalizability, a crossover design that limited the interpretation of clinical benefits after the crossover, and the use of a control with limited blinding.
Neurobiological mechanisms. There is evidence from animal research that serotoninergic psychedelics exert anxiolytic-like effects. Several trials using animal models of anxiety demonstrated acute anxiolytic effects of the serotoninergic psychedelic 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI), a non-selective 5-HT2a/2c agonist. In two rodent studies, one with 5HT2A knockout miceand the other in rats with anti-sense-mediated 5HT2A downregulation, the rodents displayed decreased anxiety-like behavior and in the trial with the 5HT2A knockout mice, restoration of 5HT2A receptors in the pre-frontal cortex (PFC) re-established anxiety-like behaviors. Furthermore, in humans, fronto-limbic 5HT2A density has been correlated with anxiety symptoms. Together, these data suggest that 5HT2A downregulation may explain some of the rapid and sustained anxiolytic effects of psilocybin. There is growing evidence that the serotoninergic psychedelics produce rapid and sustained anti-depressant effects. In two recently published open-label trials, one using a single dose of ayahuascaand the other using two doses of oral psilocybin, acute and enduring anti-depressant effects were reported. In addition to these two open-label trials, there are several lines of evidence supporting using 5HT2A agonists to treat depression. In considering changes at the 5HT2A receptor as a potential mechanism of action: cortical 5HT2A receptor expression is increased in postmortem samples of patients with depression who display suicidality; depressed patients with elevated pessimism display increased PFC 5HT2A receptor binding compared to control participants; and sustained treatment with various anti-depressants (e.g. selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants) have been associated with a reduction of 5HT2A receptor density. The glutamate system may explain some of the anti-depressant effects of psilocybin. In rodents, serotoninergic psychedelics enhance cortical glutamatergic transmission, especially in the medial PFC, and increase activation of cortical α-amino-3hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors. In a trial in which rats received DOI, there was a significant increase in expression of brainderived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA in neocortical areas. Increased AMPA activation and BDNF expression as biomarkers of anti-depressant effects are supported by: cortical AMPA activation is known to stimulate the expression of cortical BDNF (associated with neuronal growth, differentiation and synaptogenesis); decreased cortical BDNF is associated with major depression in humans; and cortical BDNF normalizes with anti-depressant treatment. Similarly, ketamine (the only other known acute and short-term sustained anti-depressant) is theorized to exert its anti-depressant effects via cortical AMPA activationand BDNF expression. However, the anti-depressant effects of single-dose ketamine in patients with TRD typically last no more than several days up to 1-2 weeks, not several weeks to months. Neuroimaging research with psilocybin is beginning to suggest potential anti-depressant mechanisms of action at the level of brain structure activity and network connectivity. Task-free functional magnetic resonance imaging research in normal volunteers under the influence of psilocybin has demonstrated decreased activity in the medial PFC and decreased connectivity within the default mode network (DMN). The former is significant because depressive symptoms have been associated with increased activity in the medial PFCand normalization of medial PFC activity has been demonstrated with anti-depressant treatment; and the latter because patients with major depression (compared to controls) have demonstrated increased DMN connectivity. Psycho-spiritual mechanisms. Moderate-dose psilocybin occasioned mystical-type experiences in the cohort of cancer patients studied, and the intensity of the subjective mystical experience significantly mediated (e.g. suggestive of causality) clinical benefit (e.g. reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms) in the medium term (e.g. 6 weeks post-dose 1). This result matches with descriptive historical data from open-label LSD-assisted psychotherapy trials for psycho-spiritual distress associated with terminal cancer, in which the mystical experience was reported as being an integral part of the therapeutic effect. It is further corroborated by recent open-label trials using psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to treat tobacco addictionand alcoholismshowing significant correlations between the mystical experience and improved clinical outcomes. This finding suggests a potential psycho-spiritual mechanism of action: the mystical state of consciousness. The mystical experience is likely to be one of several mediators that transmit the effect of psilocybin to changes in anxiety and/or depression. Further enquiry into how particular dimensions of the mystical experience relate to reductions in anxiety and/or depression in this population and others, and what factors best predict or promote mystical experiences, is warranted.
In conclusion, single moderate-dose psilocybin (in conjunction with psychotherapy) was safely administered to a cohort of patients with cancer-related psychological distress (e.g. anxiety, depression). It produced rapid and sustained anxiolytic and anti-depressant effects (for at least 7 weeks but potentially as long as 8 months), decreased cancer-related existential distress, increased spiritual wellbeing and quality of life, and was associated with improved attitudes towards death. The psilocybin-induced mystical experience mediated the anxiolytic and anti-depressant effects of psilocybin. Psilocybin, administered in conjunction with appropriate psychotherapy, could become a novel pharmacological-psychosocial treatment modality for cancer-related psychological and existential distress. Further empirical research is needed definitively to establish its safety and efficacy.
Brown, R. E., Lissemore, J. I., Shinozuka, K. F. et al. · Journal of Affective Disorders (2026)
Back, A. L., McGregor, B. A., Thorn, L. L. et al. · Psychedelic Medicine (2026)
Gründer, G., Mertens, L. J., Spangemacher, M. et al. · European Neuropsychopharmacology (2026)
Perkins, D., Halman, A., Urokohara, A. et al. · Scientific Reports (2025)
Kramer, H. M., Hibicke, M., Middleton, J. et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2025)
Dor-Ziderman, Y., David, J., Berkovich-Ohana, A. · Psychopharmacology (2025)
Beaussant, Y., Sager, Z., Brennan, C. et al. · BMJ Open (2025)
Johansen, A., Plavén-Sigray, P., Madsen, M. K. et al. · Research Square (2025)
Meikle, S., Carter, O., Liknaitzky, P. et al. · Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology (2025)
Soto-Angona, Ó., Andión, O., Sabucedo, P. et al. · Scientific Reports (2025)
Mu, F., Zaczek, H., Becker, A. M. et al. · Med (2025)
Ross, M. L., Iyer, R., Williams, M. L. et al. · General Hospital Psychiatry (2025)
Ludbrook, G., Bryson, N., Taylor, B. et al. · Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology (2025)
Brudner, R. M., Kaczmarek, E., Blainey, M. G. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2025)
Barta, S., Brooker, J., O’Callaghan, C. · Journal of Palliative Medicine (2025)
Tylš, F., Páleníček, T., Klučková, T. et al. · Pharmacological Reports (2025)
Williams, Z. J., Barnett, H., Szigeti, B. · OSF Preprints (2025)
Subramanian, S., Renau, R., Perry, D. et al. · Scientific Data (2025)
Suay, D., Aicher, H. D., Kometer, M. et al. · NeuroImage (2025)
Wall, M. B., Demetriou, L., Giribaldi, B. et al. · American Journal of Psychiatry (2025)
Zhou, K., De Wied, D., Carhart-Harris, R. L. et al. · PNAS (2025)
Lu, O. D., White, K., Raymond, K. et al. · Biorxiv (2025)
Bradley, E. R., Sakai, K., Fernandes-Osterhold, G. et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2025)
Rieser, N. M., Bitar, R., Halm, S. et al. · EClinicalMedicine (2025)
Aday, J. S., Mcafee, J., Conroy, D. A. et al. · Frontiers in Pain Research (2025)
Stoliker, D., Novelli, L., Khajehnejad, M. et al. · Biorxiv (2025)
Becker, A. M., Humbert-Droz, M., Mueller, L. et al. · Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2025)
Fink-Jensen, A., Jensen, M. E., Stenbæk, D. S. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2025)
Zeifman, R. J., Spriggs, M. J., Kettner, H. et al. · Scientific Reports (2025)
Irrmischer, M., Puxty, D. J., Deijen, J. B. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2025)
Jungwirth, J., Von Rotz, R., Dziobek, I. et al. · Molecular Psychiatry (2024)
Seybert, C., Schimmers, N., Silva, L. et al. · Lancet (2024)
Back, A., Freeman-Young, T. K., Morgan, L. et al. · JAMA Network Open (2024)
Hinkle, J. T., Graziosi, M., Nayak, S. et al. · JAMA Psychiatry (2024)
Sabé, M., Sulstarova, A., Glangetas, A. et al. · Molecular Psychiatry (2024)
Swanson, L. R., Jungers, S., Varghese, R. et al. · Journal of Vision (2024)
O'Donnell, K., Okano, L., Alpert, M. et al. · Frontiers in Psychology (2024)
Petridis, P. D., Grinband, J., Agin-Liebes, G. et al. · Nature Mental Health (2024)
Calder, A. E., Rausch, B., Liechti, M. E. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2024)
Vizeli, P., Studerus, E., Holze, F. et al. · Translational Psychiatry (2024)
Yaden, D. B., Goldy, S. P., Weiss, B. et al. · Nature Reviews Psychology (2024)
Salvetti, G., Saccenti, D., Moro, A. S. et al. · Brain Sciences (2024)
De La Salle, S., Kettner, H., Lévesque, J. T. et al. · Scientific Reports (2024)
Nicol, G. E. · Nature (2024)
Stoliker, D., Novelli, L., Vollenweider, F. X. et al. · Biological Psychiatry (2024)
Aday, J. S., Horton, D. M., Fernandes-Osterhold, G. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2024)
Letheby, C. · Neuroethics (2024)
Moreton, S. G., Barr, N., Giese, K. J. · Death Studies (2024)
Sloshower, J. A., Zeifman, R. J., Guss, J. et al. · Scientific Reports (2024)
Meling, D., Ehrenkra, R., Nayak, S. et al. · Psychoactives (2024)
Orłowski, P., Hobot, J., Ruban, A. et al. · Psychophysiology (2024)
Tolle, H. M., Farah, J. C., Mallaroni, P. et al. · Network Neuroscience (2024)
Berit, S., Meling, D., Hirsch-Hoffmann, M. et al. · Scientific Reports (2024)
Erritzoe, D., Barba, T., Spriggs, M. J. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2024)
Weiss, B., Leor Roseman, •., Giribaldi, B. et al. · International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction (2024)
Timmermann, C., Zeifman, R. J., Erritzoe, D. et al. · Scientific Reports (2024)
Pagni, B. A., Petridis, P. D., Podrebarac, S. K. et al. · Scientific Reports (2024)
Solaja, I., Haldane, K., Mason, N. et al. · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (2024)
Neumann, J., Dhein, S., Kirchhefer, U. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2024)
Bouchet, L., Sager, Z., Yrondi, A. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2024)
David, J., Bouso, J. C., Kohek, M. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2023)
Beaussant, Y., Tarbi, E., Nigam, K. B. et al. · Cancer (2023)
Agrawal, M., Richards, B. D., Richards, W. A. et al. · Cancer (2023)
Marseille, E., Stauffer, C., Agrawal, M. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2023)
Molla, H. M., Lee, R., Tare, I. et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2023)
Kvam, T-M., Uthaug, M. V., Andersen, K. A. A. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2023)
Cruz, L., Tófoli, L.F., Araújo, D. B. et al. · Scientific Reports (2023)
Jacobs, E., Murphy-Beiner, A., Rouiller, I. et al. · Neuroethics (2023)
Evans, J., Robinson, O., Ketzitzidou-Argyri, E. et al. · PLOS ONE (2023)
Haikazian, S., Chen-Li, D., Johnson, D. et al. · Psychiatry Research (2023)
Rieser, N. M., Gubser, L. P., Moujaes, F. et al. · Scientific Reports (2023)
Nayak, S., Jackson, H., Sepeda, N. D. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2023)
Mortaheb, S., Fort, L. D., Mason, N. L. et al. · Biological Psychiatry (2023)
Friederike, H., Liechti, M. E., Holze, F. et al. · British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (2023)
Raison, C. L., Sanacora, G., Woolley, J. D. et al. · JAMA (2023)
Lewis, B. R., Garland, E. L., Byrne, K. et al. · Journal of Pain and Symptom Management (2023)
Neubert, J. J., Anderson, K., Mason, N. L. · Psyarxiv (2023)
Zeifman, R. J., Kettner, H., Pagni, B. A. et al. · Scientific Reports (2023)
Pereira, L. · European Neuropsychopharmacology (2023)
Herrmann, Z., Levin, A. W., Cole, S. P. et al. · Psychedelic Medicine (2023)
Boehnke, K. F., Cox, K., Weston, C. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2023)
Zeifman, R. J., Wagner, A. C., Monson, C. M. et al. · Journal of Affective Disorders (2023)
Heifets, B. D., Olson, D. E. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2023)
Noorani, T. N., Bedi, G., Muthukumaraswamy, S. · Psychological Medicine (2023)
Skosnik, P. D., Sloshower, J., Safi-Aghdam, H. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2023)
Low, F., Earleywine, M. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2023)
Rossi, G. N., Rocha, J. M., Osório, F. L. et al. · Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology (2023)
Tiwari, P., Sayali, C., Doss, M. K. et al. · Psychedelic Medicine (2023)
Adamska, I., Finc, K. · Psychopharmacology (2023)
Weiss, B., Wingert, A., Erritzoe, D. et al. · Scientific Reports (2023)
Mccrone, P., Fisher, H., Knight, C. et al. · Psychological Medicine (2023)
Weiss, B., Ginige, I., Shannon, L. et al. · Psychological Medicine (2023)
Straumann, I., Ley, L., Holze, F. et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2023)
Thal, S. B., Wieberneit, M., Sharbanee, J. M. et al. · Journal of Humanistic Psychology (2023)
Kangaslampi, S. · Journal of Psychedelic Studies (2023)
Lewis, B. R., Byrne, K., Hendrick, J. et al. · Journal of Psychedelic Studies (2023)
Weiss, B., Sleep, C., Miller, J. D. et al. · Journal of Personality Disorders (2023)
Goodwin, G. M. · Journal of Affective Disorders (2023)
Sloshower, J. A., Skosnik, P. D., Safi-Aghdam, H. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2023)
Lewis, V., Bonniwell, E. M., Lanham, J. K. et al. · Cell Reports (2023)
Kaup, K. K., Vasser, M., Tulver, K. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2023)
Nikolaidis, A., Lancelotta, R., Gukasyan, N. et al. · Journal of Affective Disorders (2023)
Ponomarenko, P., Seragnoli, F., Calder, A. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2023)
Brasher, T., Rosen, D., Spinella, M. · International Journal of Wellbeing (2023)
Eckernäs, E., Timmermann, C., Carhart-Harris, R. et al. · Philosophy and the Mind Sciences (2023)
Timmermann, C., Vollenweider, F. X. · Trends in Cognitive Sciences (2023)
Stoliker, D., Novelli, L., Vollenweider, F. X. et al. · Biological Psychiatry (2023)
Holze, F., Gasser, P., Müller, F. et al. · Biological Psychiatry (2023)
Shnayder, S., Ameli, R., Sinaii, N. et al. · Journal of Affective Disorders (2023)
Schindowski, E. M., Jungwirth, J., Schuldt, A. et al. · EClinicalMedicine (2023)
Lutkajtis, A., Evans, J. · Journal of Psychedelic Studies (2023)
Alper, K., Cange, J., Sah, R. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2023)
DellaCrosse, M., Pleet, M. M., Morton, E. et al. · PLOS ONE (2022)
Holze, F., Becker, A. M., Kolaczynska, K. E. et al. · Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2022)
Peterson, A., Largent, E. A., Sisti, D. et al. · AJOB Neuroscience (2022)
Passie, T., Guss, J., Kraehenmann, R. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2022)
Devenot, N., Seale-Feldman, A., Smith, E. et al. · Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal (2022)
Kelmendi, B., Kichuk, S. A., DePalmer, G. et al. · Heliyon (2022)
MacCallum, C. A., Pistawka, C. A., Deol, J. K. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2022)
Ortiz Bernal, A. M., Raison, C. L., Lancelotta, R. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2022)
Prugger, J., Derdiyok, E., Dinkelacker, J. et al. · Scientific Data (2022)
Spriggs, M. J., Murphy-Beiner, A., Murphy, R. et al. · Psychological Medicine (2022)
Giribaldi, B., Lyons, T., Rosas, F. E. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2022)
Gukasyan, N., Schreyer, C. C., Griffiths, R. R. et al. · Current Psychiatry Reports (2022)
Becker, A. M., Klaiber, A., Holze, F. et al. · International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology (2022)
Goodwin, G. M., Aaronson, S. T., Alvarez, O. et al. · New England Journal of Medicine (2022)
Bedford, P., Hauke, D. J., Wang, Z. et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2022)
Kwan, A. C., Olson, D. E., Preller, K. H. et al. · Nature Medicine (2022)
Thal, S. B., Wieberneit, M., Sharbanee, J. M. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2022)
Kopra, E., Cleare, A. J., Rucker, J. et al. · Journal of Affective Disorders (2022)
Madsen, M. K., Ozenne, B., Armand, S. et al. · Frontiers in Psychology (2022)
Bogenschutz, M. P., Ross, S., Bhatt, S. R. et al. · JAMA Psychiatry (2022)
Kaplan, A. L., Confair, D. N., Kim, K. et al. · Nature (2022)
Barone, W., Mitsunaga-Whitten, M., Blaustein, L. O. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2022)
Eckernäs, E., Timmermann, C., Carhart-Harris, R. et al. · Clinical and Translational Science (2022)
Herrmann, Z., Earleywine, M., De Leo, J. et al. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2022)
Calder, A. E., Hasler, G. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2022)
Dourron, H. M., Strauss, C., Hendricks, P. S. · Pharmacological Reviews (2022)
Stoliker, D., Egan, G. F., Friston, K. J. et al. · Pharmacological Reviews (2022)
Breeksema, J. J., Kuin, B. W., Kamphuis, J. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2022)
Swee, M. B., Nayak, S., Hurwitz, E. et al. · PLOS ONE (2022)
Glynos, N., Fields, C. W., Barron, J. et al. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2022)
Nygart, V., Pommerencke, L. M., Haijen, E. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2022)
van Elk, M., Yaden, D. B. · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (2022)
Knight, G., Rucker, J., Cleare, A. J. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2022)
Kiraga, M. K., Kuypers, K. P. C., Uthaug, M. V. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2022)
Johnson, M. W. · Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences (2022)
Hartong, V., van Emmerik, A. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2022)
Cavarra, M., Falzone, A., Ramaekers, J. G. et al. · Frontiers in Psychology (2022)
Belser, A. B. · Frontiers in Psychology (2022)
Argento, E., Goldenberg, S., Deering, K. et al. · Drug and Alcohol Dependence (2022)
Jairaj, C., Rucker, J. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2022)
Forstmann, M., Sagioglou, C. · European Psychologist (2022)
Yaden, D. B., Earp, D., Graziosi, M. et al. · Frontiers in Psychology (2022)
O'shaughnessy, D. M., Sarnyai, Z., Quirk, F. et al. · SSM Qualitative Research in Health (2022)
McCulloch, D. E-W., Knudsen, G. M., Barrett, F. S. et al. · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (2022)
Soares, C. M., Leite, A., Pinto, M. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2022)
Orłowski, P., Ruban, A., Szczypiński, J. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2022)
Gill, H., Puramat, P., Patel, P. et al. · Psychiatry Research (2022)
Oehen, P., Gasser, P. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2022)
Aharon-Almagor, A., Barrett, F. S. · Research Square (2022)
Murphy, R., Murphy-Beiner, A., Kettner, H. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2022)
Pots, W., Chakhssi, F. · Frontiers in Psychology (2022)
Gandy, S. · Journal of Psychedelic Studies (2022)
Raison, C. L., Jain, R., Jain, S. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2022)
McCulloch, D. E-W., Madsen, M. K., Jensen, P. S. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2022)
Thal, S., Engels, L. B., Bright, S. J. · Journal of Humanistic Psychology (2022)
Holze, F., Ley, L., Müller, F. et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2022)
Davis, A. K., Streeter Barrett, F., Cosimano, M. P. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2022)
Reckweg, J., Uthaug, M. V., Szabo, A. et al. · Journal of Neurochemistry (2022)
Yu, C. L., Liang, C. S., Yang, F. et al. · Journal of Clinical Medicine (2022)
Argento, E., Socias, M. E., Hayashi, K. et al. · International Journal of Drug Policy (2022)
Sielaff, A., Horner, D. E., Greenberg, J. · Personality and Individual Differences (2022)
Markopoulos, A., Inserra, A., De Gregorio, D. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2022)
Vollenweider, F. X., Smallridge, J. W. · Pharmacopsychiatry (2022)
Barrett, F. S., Zhou, Y., Carbonaro, T. M. et al. · Frontiers in Neuroergonomics (2022)
Glynos, N. G., Pierce, J., Davis, A. K. et al. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2022)
Schenberg, E. E., Gerber, K. · Transcultural Psychiatry (2022)
Peill, J. M., Trinci, K. E., Kettner, H. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2022)
Rucker, J. J., Marwood, L., Ajantaival, R. L. J. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2022)
Altman, B. R., Earleywine, M., De Leo, J. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2022)
Strickland, J. C., Johnson, M. W. · Advances in Pharmacology (2022)
Mertens, L. J., Koslowski, M., Betzler, F. et al. · Neuroscience Applied (2022)
Stoliker, D., Novelli, L., Vollenweider, F. X. et al. · MedRvix (2021)
Niles, H., Fogg, C., Kelmendi, B. et al. · BMC Palliative Care (2021)
Dursun, S. M., Kelly, J. R., Gillan, C. M. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021)
Rieser, N. M., Herdener, M. ;., Preller, K. H. · Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences (2021)
Doss, M. K., Madden, M. B., Gaddis, A. et al. · Brain (2021)
Whitfield, H. J. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021)
Aday, J. S., Heifets, B. D., Pratscher, S. D. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2021)
Yaden, D. B., Berghella, A. P., Regier, P. S. et al. · International Journal of Drug Policy (2021)
Rucker, J., Jafari, H., Mantingh, T. et al. · BMJ Open (2021)
Reckweg, J., Mason, N. L., van Leeuwen, C. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2021)
Becker, A. M., Holze, F., Grandinett, T. et al. · Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2021)
Kuc, J., Kettner, H., Rosas, F. E. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2021)
Garcia-Romeu, A., Darcy, S., Jackson, H. et al. · Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences (2021)
Nichols, C. D., Wiatr, K., Figiel, M. et al. · Journal of Neurochemistry (2021)
Ermakova, A. O., Dunbar, F., Rucker, J. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2021)
Ona, G., Berrada, A., Bouso, J. C. · Transcultural Psychiatry (2021)
Johnstad, P. G. · Journal of Psychedelic Studies (2021)
Yang, F., Yang, S., Tseng, P. et al. · Psychiatry Investigation (2021)
Perry, C. M., Malina, M. · Psychopharmacology (2021)
Johnson, M. W., Gründer, G., Betzler, F. et al. · Current Addiction Reports (2021)
Brennan, W., Jackson, M. A., MacLean, K. A. · Journal of Humanistic Psychology (2021)
McGovern, H., Leptourgos, P., Hutchinson, B. et al. · Psyarxiv (2021)
Holze, F., Caluori, T. V., Vizeli, P. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2021)
Castelhano, J. M., Lima, G. M., Teixeira, M. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2021)
Kuiperes, Z., Schreiber, R. · Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (2021)
Madsen, M. K., Stenbaek, D. S., Arvidsson, A. et al. · European Neuropsychopharmacology (2021)
Podrebarac, S. K., O'donnell, K. C., Mennenga, S. E. et al. · Spirituality in Clinical Practice (2021)
Davis, A. K., Xin, Y., Sepeda, N. D. et al. · Chronic Stress (2021)
Reynolds, L. M, Stack, A., Akroyd, A., Sundram, F. et al. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2021)
Hübner, S., Haijen, E. C. H. M., Kaelen, M. et al. · Journal of Medical Internet Research (2021)
Dollar, C. B. · Qualitative Criminology (2021)
Ginati, Y. D., Ben-Sheetrit, J., Lev-Ran, S. et al. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2021)
Horton, D. M., Morrison, B., Schmidt, J. · American Journal of Psychotherapy (2021)
Kočárová, C., Horacek, J., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021)
Ballentine, G., Friedman, S. F., Bzdok, D. · Science Advances (2021)
Wießner, I., Falchi, M., Palhano-Fontes, F. et al. · Psychological Medicine (2021)
Letheby, C. · Psyarxiv (2021)
Shao, L-X,, Liao, C., Gregg, I. et al. · Neuron (2021)
Timmermann, C., Kettner, H., Letheby, C. et al. · Scientific Reports (2021)
Dos Santos, R. G., Osório, F. L., Rocha, J. M. et al. · Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology (2021)
Nielson, E. M. · Journal of Humanistic Psychology (2021)
Bird, C. I. V., Modlin, N. L., Rucker, J. · International Review of Psychiatry (2021)
Bement, W., Banks, M. I., Zahid, Z. et al. · Molecular Biology of the Cell (2021)
Teixeira, P. J., Johnson, M. W., Timmermann, C. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2021)
Vizeli, P., Straumann, I., Holze, F. et al. · Scientific Reports (2021)
Lewis-Healey, E., Laukkonen, R., Van Elk, M. · Psyarxiv (2021)
Davis, A. K., Barrett, F. S., May, D. G. et al. · JAMA Psychiatry (2021)
Rodrigues, L. S., Rossi, G. N., Rocha, J. M. et al. · European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience (2021)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Wagner, A. C., Agrawal, M. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2021)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Giribaldi, B., Watts, R. et al. · New England Journal of Medicine (2021)
Beaussant, Y., Tulsky, J., Guérin, B. et al. · Journal of Palliative Medicine (2021)
Summergrad, P. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2021)
Gard, D. E., Pleet, M. M., Bradley, E. R. et al. · Journal of Affective Disorders (2021)
Kettner, H., Rosas, F. E., Timmermann, C. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2021)
Agin-Liebes, G. I., Lancelotta, R., Uthaug, M. V. et al. · ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science (2021)
Dos Santos, R. G., Hallak, J. E., Baker, G. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2021)
Ross, E., Agin-Liebes, G. I., Zeifman, R. J. et al. · ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science (2021)
Payne, J. E., Chambers, R., Liknaitzky, P. · ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science (2021)
Zeifman, R. J., Singhal, N., Breslow, L. et al. · ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science (2021)
Muthukumaraswamy, S., Forsyth, B., Lumley, T. · Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology (2021)
Aday, J. S., Davis, A. K., Mitzkovitz, C. M. et al. · ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science (2021)
Hirschfeld, T., Schmidt, T. T. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2021)
Nayak, S., Gukasyan, N., Barrett, F. S. et al. · Pharmacopsychiatry (2021)
Garcia-Romeu, A., Barrett, F. S., Carbonaro, T. M. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2021)
Nielson, E. M., Tai, S. J., Lennard-Jones, M. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021)
Lawrence, D. W., Sharma, B., Griffiths, R. R. et al. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2021)
Romach, E. A., Nachliely, M., Moran, O. et al. · Biorxiv (2021)
Luppi, A. I., Carhart-Harris, R. L., Roseman, L. et al. · NeuroImage (2021)
Kaertner, L. S., Steinborn, M. B., Kettner, H. et al. · Scientific Reports (2021)
Williams, M. T., Reed, S., George, J. · Journal of Psychedelic Studies (2021)
Galvão-Coelho, N. L., Marx, W., Sinclair, J. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2021)
Davis, A. K., Streeter Barrett, F., Griffiths, R. R. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2021)
Bouso, J. C., Ona, G., Dos Santos, R. G. et al. · Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology (2021)
Yaden, D. B., Griffiths, R. R. · ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science (2020)
Williams, T. M., Davis, A. K., Xin, Y. et al. · Drugs Education Prevention and Policy (2020)
Olson, D. E. · ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science (2020)
Kanen, J. W., Luo, Q., Kandroodi, M. R. et al. · Psychological Medicine (2020)
Nayak, S., Johnson, M. W. · Pharmacopsychiatry (2020)
Maia, L. O., Daldegan-Bueno, D., Tófoli, L.F. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2020)
Gandy, S., Forstmann, M., Carhart-Harris, R. L. et al. · Health Psychology Open (2020)
Wolfson, P. E., Andries, J., Feduccia, A. A. et al. · Scientific Reports (2020)
Brouwer, A., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2020)
Andersen, K. A. A., Carhart-Harris, R. L., Nutt, D. J. et al. · Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica (2020)
Zeifman, R. J., Dos Santos, R. G., Sanches, R. F. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2020)
Holze, F., Vizeli, P., Ley, L. et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2020)
Goldberg, S. B., Shechet, B., Nicholas, C. R. et al. · Psychological Medicine (2020)
Schmid, Y., Gasser, P., Oehen, P. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2020)
Stenbæk, D. S., Madsen, M. K., Ozenne, B. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2020)
Anderson, B. T., Danforth, A. L., Daroff, R. et al. · EClinicalMedicine (2020)
Gill, H., Gill, B., Chen-Li, D. et al. · Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics (2020)
Varker, T., Watson, L., Gibson, K. et al. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2020)
Vollenweider, F. X., Preller, K. H. · Nature Reviews Neuroscience (2020)
Barrett, F. S., Krimmel, S. R., Griffiths, R. R. et al. · NeuroImage (2020)
Vargas, A. S., Luís, Â., Barroso, M. et al. · Biomedicines (2020)
Kim, K., Che, T., Panova, O. et al. · Cell (2020)
Aday, J. S., Davoli, C. C., Bloesch, E. K. · Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology (2020)
Zeifman, R. J., Wagner, A. C., Watts, R. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2020)
Galvão-Coelho, N. L., de Menezes Galvão, A. C., de Almeida, R. N. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2020)
Weston, N. M., Gibbs, D., Bird, C. I. V. et al. · Depression and Anxiety (2020)
Kargbo, R. B., Sherwood, A. R., Walker, A. et al. · ACS Omega (2020)
Luoma, J. B., Chwyl, C., Bathje, G. J. et al. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2020)
Kangaslampi, S., Hausen, A., Rauteenmaa, T. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2020)
Jacobs, E. · Journal of Psychedelic Studies (2020)
Greenway, K. T., Garel, N., Jerome, L. et al. · Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology (2020)
Girn, M., Mills, C., Roseman, L. et al. · NeuroImage (2020)
Van Mulukom, V., Patterson, R. E., Van Elk, M. · Psychopharmacology (2020)
Greif, A., Šurkala, M. · Medicine Health Care and Philosophy (2020)
Smith, W. R., Sisti, D. · Journal of Medical Ethics (2020)
Butler, M., Seynaeve, M., Nicholson, T. R. et al. · Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology (2020)
Castellanos, J. P., Woolley, C., Bruno, K. A. et al. · Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (2020)
Halberstadt, A. L., Chatha, M., Klein, A. K. et al. · Neuropharmacology (2020)
Glowacki, D. R., Wonnacott, M. D., Freire, R. et al. · Association for Computing Machinery (2020)
Pasquini, L., Palhano-Fontes, F., Araújo, D. B. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2020)
Chi, T., Gold, J. A. · Journal of the Neurological Sciences (2020)
Madsen, M. K., Fisher, P. M., Stenbæk, D. S. et al. · European Neuropsychopharmacology (2020)
Heuschkel, K., Kuypers, K. P. C. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2020)
O'callaghan, C., Hubik, D. J., Psychiatry, M. et al. · Journal of Music Therapy (2020)
Aday, J. S., Mitzkovitz, C. M., Bloesch, E. K. et al. · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (2020)
Krediet, E., Bostoen, T., Breeksema, J. J. et al. · International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology (2020)
Benko, J., Vranková, S. · Molecules (2020)
Rosenbaum, D., Weissman, C. R., Anderson, T. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2020)
Reiff, C. M., Richman, E. E., Nemeroff, C. B. et al. · American Journal of Psychiatry (2020)
Wolff, M., Evens, R., Mertens, L. J. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2020)
Lewis, C. R., Preller, K. H., Braden, B. B. et al. · Biomedicines (2020)
Lea, T., Jungaberle, H., Schecke, H. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2020)
Barrett, F. S., Doss, M. K., Sepeda, N. D. et al. · Scientific Reports (2020)
Mason, N. L., Feilding, A., Ramaekers, J. G. · European Neuropsychopharmacology (2020)
Goldberg, S. B., Pace, B. T., Nicholas, C. R. et al. · Psychiatry Research (2020)
Mason, N. L., Dolder, P. C., Kuypers, K. P. C. · Drug Science Policy and Law (2020)
Garcia-Romeu, A., Davis, A. K., Griffiths, R. R. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2020)
Fuentes, J. J., Fonseca, F., Elices, M. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2020)
Mertens, L. J., Wall, M. B., Roseman, L. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2020)
Agin-Liebes, G. I., Malone, T., Yalch, M. M. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2020)
Davis, A. K., Barrett, F. S., Griffiths, R. R. · Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science (2020)
Dos Santos, R. G., Hallak, J. E. · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (2020)
Family, N., Maillet, E. L., Williams, L. T. J. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2019)
Preller, K. H., Vollenweider, F. X. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2019)
Adams, A. M., Kaplan, N. A., Wei, Z. et al. · Metabolic Engineering (2019)
Sartori, S. B., Singewald, N. · Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2019)
Araújo, D. B., Zeifman, R. J., Palhano-Fontes, F. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2019)
Holze, F., Vizeli, P., Müller, F. et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2019)
Smigielski, L., Kometer, M., Scheidegger, M. et al. · Scientific Reports (2019)
Luoma, J. B., Sabucedo, P., Eriksson, J. et al. · Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science (2019)
Hutten, N. P. W., Mason, N. L., Dolder, P. C. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2019)
Argento, E., Capler, R., Thomas, G. et al. · Drug and Alcohol Review (2019)
Roseman, L., Haijen, E. C. H. M., Idialu-Ikato, K. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2019)
Anderson, T., Petranker, R., Christopher, A. et al. · Harm Reduction Journal (2019)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Friston, K. J. · Pharmacological Reviews (2019)
Galvão-Coelho, N. L., de Almeida, R. N., de Menezes Galvão, A. C. et al. · Frontiers in Psychology (2019)
Sakloth, F., Leggett, E., Moerke, M. J. et al. · Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology (2019)
Nutt, D. J. · Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience (2019)
Jefsen, O., Højgaard, K., Christiansen, S. L. et al. · Acta Neuropsychiatrica (2019)
Garcia-Romeu, A., Davis, A. K., Fire Erowid et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2019)
Davis, A. K., So, S., Lancelotta, R. et al. · The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse (2019)
Russ, S. L., Carhart-Harris, R. L., Maruyama, G. et al. · Psychology of Consciousness Theory Research and Practice (2019)
Madsen, M. K., Fisher, P. M., Burmester, D. et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2019)
Stenbæk, D. S., Kristiansen, S., Burmester, D. et al. · Human Brain Mapping (2019)
Anderson, T., Petranker, R., Rosenbaum, D. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2019)
Johnson, M. W. · International Review of Psychiatry (2018)
Nielson, E. M., Guss, J. · Journal of Psychedelic Studies (2018)
Richards, W. A., Garcia-Romeu, A. · International Review of Psychiatry (2018)
Haijen, E. C. H. M., Kaelen, M., Roseman, L. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2018)
Lyons, T., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Frontiers in Psychology (2018)
Hendricks, P. S. · International Review of Psychiatry (2018)
Barrett, F. S., Preller, K. H., Kaelen, M. · International Review of Psychiatry (2018)
Leonard, J. B., Klein-Schwartz, W. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2018)
Milliere, R., Carhart-Harris, R. L., Roseman, L. et al. · Frontiers in Psychology (2018)
Dos Santos, R. G., Bouso, J. C., Hallak, J. E. · Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology (2018)
Timmermann, C., Roseman, L., Williams, L. et al. · Frontiers in Psychology (2018)
Flanagan, T. W., Nichols, C. D. · International Review of Psychiatry (2018)
Ross, S. · International Review of Psychiatry (2018)
Schenberg, E. E. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2018)
Jungaberle, H., Thal, S., Zeuch, A. et al. · Neuropharmacology (2018)
Geiger, H. A., Wurst, M. G., Daniels, R. N. · ACS Chemical Neuroscience (2018)
Nicholas, C. R., Henriquez, K. M., Gassman, M. C. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2018)
Noorani, T., Garcia-Romeu, A., Swift, T. C. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2018)
Erritzoe, D., Roseman, L., Nour, M. R. et al. · Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica (2018)
Palhano-Fontes, F., Barreto, D., Onias, H. et al. · Psychological Medicine (2018)
Johnson, M. W., Griffiths, R. R., Hendricks, P. S. et al. · Neuropharmacology (2018)
Barnett, B. S., Siu, W. O., Pope Jr, H. G. · Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease (2018)
Cassels, B. K., Sáez-Briones, P. · ACS Chemical Neuroscience (2018)
Walsh, Z., Bird, B. M., Lafrance, A. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2018)
Sloshower, J. A. · Plant Medicines Healing and Psychedelic Science (2018)
Maqueda, A. E. · Plant Medicines Healing and Psychedelic Science (2018)
Ross, S., Malone, T. C., Mennenga, S. E. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2018)
Dorsen, C., Palamar, J., Shedlin, M. G. · Addiction Research and Theory (2018)
Hartogsohn, I. · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2018)
Swanson, L. R. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2018)
Kraehenmann, R., Nielson, E. M., May, D. G. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2018)
Bogenschutz, M. P., Podrebarac, S. K., Duane, J. H. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2018)
Johnstad, P. G. · Nordic Studies on Alcohol and Drugs (2018)
Reiche, S., Hermle, L., Gutwinski, S. et al. · Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry (2018)
Kaelen, M., Giribaldi, B., Raine, J. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2018)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Roseman, L., Haijen, E. C. H. M. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2018)
Adams, T. · Biorxiv (2018)
Lyons, T., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2018)
Roseman, L., Nutt, D. J., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2018)
Rucker, J., Iliff, J., Nutt, D. J. · Neuropharmacology (2017)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Bolstridge, &. M., Day, C. M. J. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2017)
Carbonaro, T. M., Hurwitz, E., Johnson, M. W. · Psychopharmacology (2017)
Stroud, J., Freeman, T. P., Leech, R. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2017)
Hendricks, P. S., Crawford, M. S., Cropsey, K. L. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2017)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Roseman, L., Bolstridge, M. et al. · Scientific Reports (2017)
Griffiths, R. R., Johnson, M. W., Richards, W. A. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2017)
Lewis, C. R., Preller, K. H., Kraehenmann, R. et al. · NeuroImage (2017)
Kyzar, E. J., Nichols, C. D., Gainetdinov, R. R. et al. · Trends in Pharmacological Sciences (2017)
Bøhling, F. · International Journal of Drug Policy (2017)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Nutt, D. J. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2017)
Kraehenmann, R. · Current Neuropharmacology (2017)
Elsey, J. W. B. · Drug Science Policy and Law (2017)
Slevc, L. R., Barrett, F. S., Robbins, H. et al. · Frontiers in Psychology (2017)
Larsen, J. K. · Nordic Journal of Psychiatry (2017)
Letheby, C., Gerrans, P. · Neuroscience of Consciousness (2017)
Phelps, J. · Journal of Humanistic Psychology (2017)
Kaelen, M., Lorenz, R., Barrett, F. S. et al. · Biorxiv (2017)
Watts, R., Day, C. M., Krzanowski, J. et al. · Journal of Humanistic Psychology (2017)
Swift, T. C., Belser, A. B., Agin-Liebes, G. et al. · Journal of Humanistic Psychology (2017)
Johnson, M. W., Griffiths, R. R. · Neurotherapeutics (2017)
Thomas, K., Malcolm, B., Lastra, D. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2017)
Belser, A. B., Agin-Liebes, G. I., Swift, T. C. et al. · Journal of Humanistic Psychology (2017)
Liechti, M. E. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2017)
Nour, M. R., Evans, J., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2017)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Goodwin, G. M. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2017)
Kaelen, M. · Imperial College London (2017)
Preller, K. H., Vollenweider, F. X. · Behavioral Neurobiology of Psychedelic Drugs (2016)
Barrett, F. S., Bradstreet, M. P., Leoutsakos, J. M. S. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2016)
McKenna, D., Riba, J. · Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences (2016)
Kometer, M., Vollenweider, F. X. · Behavioral Neurobiology of Psychedelic Drugs (2016)