Therapeutic effects of classic serotonergic psychedelics: A systematic review of modern-era clinical studies
This systematic review (2020) looked at 10 modern studies (n=188) on psychedelics (psilocybin, ayahuasca, LSD) for the treatment of a variety of mental health disorders. The review found the studies to provide evidence for efficacy (up to months later) and safety.
Authors
- Robin Carhart-Harris
- David Nutt
- David Erritzoe
Published
Abstract
Objective
To conduct a systematic review of modern-era (post-millennium) clinical studies assessing the therapeutic effects of serotonergic psychedelics drugs for mental health conditions. Although the main focus was on efficacy and safety, study characteristics, duration of antidepressants effects across studies, and the role of the subjective drug experiences were also reviewed and presented.
Method
A systematic literature search (1st Jan 2000 to 1st May 2020) was conducted in Pubmed and Psychinfo for studies of patients undergoing treatment with a serotonergic psychedelic.
Results
Data from 16 papers, representing 10 independent psychedelic-assisted therapy trials (psilocybin=7, ayahuasca = 2, LSD=1) were extracted, presented in figures and tables, and narratively synthesized and discussed. Across these studies, a total of 188 patients suffering either anxiety and/or depressive symptoms associated with cancer (C-RPD), major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or substance use disorder (SUD) were included. The reviewed studies established feasibility and evidence of safety, alongside promising early data of efficacy in the treatment of depression, anxiety, OCD, and tobacco and alcohol use disorders. For a majority of patients, the therapeutic effects appeared to be long-lasting (weeks-months) after only 1 to 3 treatment session(s). All studies were conducted in line with guidelines for the safe conduct of psychedelic therapy and no severe adverse events were reported.
Conclusion
The resurrection of clinical psychedelic research provides early evidence for treatment efficacy and safety for a range of psychiatric conditions, and constitutes an exciting new treatment avenue in a health area with major unmet needs.
Research Summary of 'Therapeutic effects of classic serotonergic psychedelics: A systematic review of modern-era clinical studies'
Introduction
Andersen and colleagues frame the review in the context of a long history of psychedelic research beginning in the 1950s, when LSD, psilocybin, DMT and mescaline were investigated both as tools for modelling psychosis and as potential therapeutics across a range of psychiatric conditions. Interest in these compounds waned after restrictive legislation in the 1970s and methodological shortcomings in many early studies, but more recent decades have seen renewed scientific work using modern imaging, epidemiology and controlled experimental designs. Naturalistic and experimental studies have suggested associations between past psychedelic use and reduced psychological distress, and laboratory studies in healthy volunteers report sustained improvements in well-being and personality measures well beyond the drugs' short pharmacokinetic presence. This paper sets out to collate modern-era (post-2000) clinical studies that administered classic serotonergic psychedelics (psilocybin, LSD, ayahuasca/DMT, mescaline) in controlled settings for psychiatric indications. The stated aim is to provide an overview of preliminary evidence for efficacy and safety, the duration of therapeutic effects, and the relationship between the subjective psychedelic experience and clinical outcomes. The authors follow PRISMA-guided systematic review methods to identify and synthesise relevant trials from 2000 to May 1 2020.
Expert Research Summaries
Go Pro to access AI-powered section-by-section summaries, editorial takes, and the full research toolkit.
Study Details
- Study Typemeta
- Journal
- Compounds
- Topics
- Authors
- APA Citation
Andersen, K. A. A., Carhart‐Harris, R., Nutt, D. J., & Erritzoe, D. (2021). Therapeutic effects of classic serotonergic psychedelics: A systematic review of modern-era clinical studies. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 143(2), 101-118. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13249
References (70)
Papers cited by this study that are also in Blossom
Ludwig, A., Levine, J., Stark, L. et al. · American Journal of Psychiatry (1969)
Tomsovic, M., Edwards, R. V. · Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs (1970)
Grof, S., Goodman, L. E., Richards, W. A. · Pharmacopsychiatry (1973)
Krebs, T. S., Johansen, P. Ø. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2012)
Rucker, J., Young, A. H., Jelen, L. A. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2016)
King, C., Nichols, D. E. · Nature Reviews Neuroscience (2013)
Vollenweider, F. X., Leenders, K. L., Maguire, P. et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology (1997)
Madsen, M. K., Fisher, P. M., Burmester, D. et al. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2019)
Sanches, R. F., Osório, F. L., Dos Santos, R. G. et al. · Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology (2016)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Muthukumaraswamy, S., Roseman, L. et al. · PNAS (2016)
Show all 70 referencesShow fewer
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Erritzoe, D., Williams, T. et al. · PNAS (2012)
Tagliazucchi, E., Roseman, L., Kaelen, M. et al. · Current Biology (2016)
Kraehenmann, R., Preller, K. H., Scheidegger, M. et al. · Biological Psychiatry (2015)
Timmermann, C., Roseman, L., Schartner, M. et al. · Scientific Reports (2019)
Johansen, P. Ø., Krebs, T. S. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2015)
Hendricks, P. S., Thorne, C. B., Clark, B. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2015)
Haijen, E. C. H. M., Kaelen, M., Roseman, L. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2018)
Dos Santos, R. G., Balthazar, F. M., Bouso, J. C. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2016)
Dos Santos, R. G., Hallak, J. E., Bouso, J. C. · Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology (2017)
Griffiths, R. R., Richards, W. A., Mccann, U. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2006)
Maclean, K. A., Johnson, M. W., Griffiths, R. R. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2011)
Riba, J., Valle, M., Urbano, G. et al. · Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (2003)
Brown, R. T., Nicholas, C. R., Cozzi, N. V. et al. · Clinical Pharmacokinetics (2017)
Dolder, P. C., Schmid, Y., Steuer, A. E. et al. · Clinical Pharmacokinetics (2017)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Erritzoe, D., Haijen, E. C. H. M. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2017)
Dos Santos, R. G., Osório, F. L., Crippa, J. A. et al. · Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology (2016)
Reiche, S., Hermle, L., Gutwinski, S. et al. · Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry (2018)
Moreno, F. A., Wiegand, C. B., Taitano, E. K. et al. · Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (2006)
Grob, C. S., Danforth, A. L., Chopra, G. S. et al. · JAMA Psychiatry (2011)
Garcia-Romeu, A., Griffiths, R. R., Johnson, M. W. · Current Drug Abuse Reviews (2015)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Bolstridge, M., Rucker, J. et al. · Lancet Psychiatry (2016)
Ross, S., Bossis, A. P., Guss, J. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2016)
Palhano-Fontes, F., Barreto, D., Onias, H. et al. · Psychological Medicine (2018)
Osório, F. L., Sanches, R. F., Macedo, L. et al. · brazilian Journal of Psychiatry (2015)
Gasser, P., Holstein, D., Michel, Y. et al. · Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease (2014)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Bolstridge, &. M., Day, C. M. J. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2017)
Johnson, M. W., Garcia-Romeu, A., Griffiths, R. R. · The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse (2016)
Agin-Liebes, G. I., Malone, T., Yalch, M. M. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2020)
Johnson, M. W., Garcia-Romeu, A., Cosimano, M. P. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2014)
MacLean, K. A., Leoutsakos, J. S., Johnson, M. W. et al. · Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (2012)
Studerus, E., Gamma, A., Vollenweider, F. X. · PLOS ONE (2010)
Johnson, M. W., Richards, W. A., Griffiths, R. R. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2008)
Garcia-Romeu, A., Davis, A. K., Fire Erowid et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2019)
Barbosa, P., Tófoli, L.F., Bogenschutz, M. P. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2018)
Fábregas, J. M., González, D., Fondevila, S. et al. · Drug and Alcohol Dependence (2010)
Thomas, G., Lucas, P., Rielle Capler, N. et al. · Current Drug Abuse Reviews (2013)
Nutt, D. J., Erritzoe, D., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Cell (2020)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Leech, R., Williams, T. M. et al. · British Journal of Psychiatry (2018)
Roseman, L., Nutt, D. J., Carhart-Harris, R. L. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2018)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Friston, K. J. · Pharmacological Reviews (2019)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Nutt, D. J. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2017)
Schmid, Y., Liechti, M. E. · Psychopharmacology (2017)
Dakwar, E., Nunes, E. V., Hart, C. L. et al. · Neuropharmacology (2018)
Kuypers, K. P. C., Erritzoe, D., Knudsen, G. M. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2019)
Strassman, R. J., Qualls, C .R. · JAMA Psychiatry (1994)
Passie, T., Seifert, J., Schneider, U. et al. · Addiction Biology (2002)
Dolder, P. C., Schmid, Y., Haschke, M. et al. · International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology (2015)
Griffiths, R. R. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2008)
Passie, T., Halpern, J. H., Stichtenoth, D. O. et al. · CNS Neuroscience and Therapeutics (2008)
Preller, K. H., Herdener, M., Pokorny, T. et al. · Current Biology (2017)
Kraehenmann, R. ;., Pokorny, D. ;., Vollenweider, L. ;. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2017)
Kometer, M., Schmidt, A., Bachmann, R. et al. · Biological Psychiatry (2012)
Buchborn, T., Schröder, H., Höllt, V. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2014)
Madsen, M. K., Fisher, P. M., Stenbæk, D. S. et al. · European Neuropsychopharmacology (2020)
Kuypers, K. P. C., Riba, &. J., De La Fuente Revenga, &. M. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2016)
Frecska, E., Móré, C. E., Vargha, A. et al. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2012)
Lebedev, A. V., Kaelen, M., L€ Ovd En, M. et al. · Human Brain Mapping (2016)
Erritzoe, D., Smith, J. M., Fisher, P. M. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2019)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Roseman, L., Bolstridge, M. et al. · Scientific Reports (2017)
Preller, K. H., Razi, A., Zeidman, P. et al. · PNAS (2019)
Cited By (80)
Papers in Blossom that reference this study
Girn, M., Doss, M. K., Roseman, L. et al. · Nature Medicine (2026)
Schlomberg, J. T. T., Meling, D., Grylka, R. et al. · Scientific Reports (2026)
Daldegan-Bueno, D., Donegan, C. J., Sumner, R. et al. · Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry (2026)
Daldegan-Bueno, D., Donegan, C. J., Sumner, R. L. et al. · Neuropharmacology (2026)
Ching, T. H. W., Stahnke, B., Shnayder, S. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2025)
Kirlić, N., Atli, M., Mistry, S. et al. · Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology (2025)
Egger, K., Meling, D., Polat, F. et al. · Imaging Neuroscience (2025)
Ludbrook, G., Bryson, N., Taylor, B. et al. · Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology (2025)
Aicher, H. D., Wicki, I. A., Meling, D. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2025)
Tylš, F., Páleníček, T., Klučková, T. et al. · Pharmacological Reports (2025)
Show all 80 papersShow fewer
Singleton, S. P., Timmermann, C., Luppi, A. I. et al. · Communications Biology (2025)
Brouwer, A., Brown, J., Erowid, E. et al. · npj Mental Health Research (2025)
Pagni, B. A., Zeifman, R. J., Mennenga, S. E. et al. · American Journal of Psychiatry (2025)
Agnorelli, C., Spriggs, M. J., Godfrey, K. et al. · Preprints (2024)
Klaiber, A., Humbert‐Droz, M., Ley, L. et al. · British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (2024)
Krabbe, A., Sikka, P., Jylkkä, J. · Scientific Reports (2024)
Stroud, J., Rice, C., Orsini, A. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2024)
Meling, D., Egger, K., Aicher, H. D. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2024)
Nicholas, C. R., Banks, M. I., Lennertz, R. L. et al. · Translational Psychiatry (2024)
Kettner, H., Roseman, L., Gazzaley, A. et al. · The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry (2024)
Mehtani, N. J., Johnson, M. O., Hendricks, P. S. et al. · Scientific Reports (2024)
Soto-Angona, Ó., Fortea, A., Fortea, L. et al. · European Neuropsychopharmacology (2024)
Neitzke-Spruill, L., Beit, C., Robinson, J. et al. · Neuroethics (2024)
Moreton, S. G., Barr, N., Giese, K. J. · Death Studies (2024)
Lewis, E. C., Jaeger, A., Girn, M. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2024)
Cherniak, A. D., Mikulincer, M., Brulin, J. G. et al. · Journal of Psychedelic Studies (2024)
Berit, S., Meling, D., Hirsch-Hoffmann, M. et al. · Scientific Reports (2024)
Acevedo, E. C., Uhler, S., White, K. et al. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2024)
Timmermann, C., Zeifman, R. J., Erritzoe, D. et al. · Scientific Reports (2024)
Straumann, I., Holze, F., Becker, A. M. et al. · Neuroscience Applied (2024)
Orłowski, P., Hobot, J., Ruban, A. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2023)
Jacobs, E., Murphy-Beiner, A., Rouiller, I. et al. · Neuroethics (2023)
Luan, L. X., Eckernäs, E., Ashton, M. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2023)
Simonsson, O., Goldberg, S. B., Chambers, R. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2023)
Greń, J., Tylš, F., Lasocik, M. et al. · Frontiers in Psychology (2023)
Carter, B., Cleare, A. J., Rucker, J. et al. · Neuropsychiatric Disease And Treatment (2023)
Mortaheb, S., Fort, L. D., Mason, N. L. et al. · Biological Psychiatry (2023)
Zafar, R., Siegel, M., Harding, R. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2023)
Moliner, R., Girych, M., Brunello, C. A. et al. · Nature Neuroscience (2023)
Lake, S., Lucas, P. · Psychedelic Medicine (2023)
Kangaslampi, S. · Journal of Psychedelic Studies (2023)
Gold, N. D., Goldway, N., Gerlach-Houck, H. et al. · Biorxiv (2023)
Kopra, E., Ferris, J. A., Winstock, A. R. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2023)
Kaup, K. K., Vasser, M., Tulver, K. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2023)
van der Meer, P. B., Fuentes, J. J., Kaptein, A. A. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2023)
Moreton, S. G., Arena, A. F., Foy, Y. et al. · Death Studies (2023)
Rudin, D., Areesanan, A., Liechti, M. E. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2023)
Desai, S., Jain, V., Xavier, S. et al. · Children (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)
Calleja-Conde, J., Morales-García, J. A., Echeverry-Alzate, V. et al. · Addiction Biology (2022)
Breeksema, J. J., Kuin, B. W., Kamphuis, J. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2022)
Moreton, S. G., Burden-Hill, A., Menzies, R. E. · Clinical Psychologist (2022)
van Elk, M., Yaden, D. B. · Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews (2022)
Bonnelle, V., Cavarra, M., Kryskow, P. et al. · British Journal of Pain (2022)
Knight, G., Rucker, J., Cleare, A. J. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2022)
Cavarra, M., Falzone, A., Ramaekers, J. G. et al. · Frontiers in Psychology (2022)
Johnson, S., Letheby, C. · Journal of Psychedelic Studies (2022)
Daws, R. E., Timmermann, C., Giribaldi, B. et al. · Nature Medicine (2022)
Murphy, R., Murphy-Beiner, A., Kettner, H. et al. · Frontiers in Pharmacology (2022)
Madrid-Gambin, F., Gomez-Gomez, A., Busquets-Garcia, A. et al. · Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (2022)
Villiger, D. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2022)
Yu, C. L., Liang, C. S., Yang, F. et al. · Journal of Clinical Medicine (2022)
Barker, S. A. · Psychopharmacology (2022)
Dursun, S. M., Kelly, J. R., Gillan, C. M. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021)
Page, L., Rehman, A., Syed, H. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021)
Nygart, V., Pommerencke, L. M., Carhart-Harris, R. L. et al. · Frontiers in Psychology (2021)
Torregrossa, M. M., Lu, J., Lukasiewicz, K. et al. · Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience (2021)
Verroust, V., Zafar, R., Spriggs, M. J. · Annales Médico-Psychologiques (2021)
Matzopoulos, R., Morlock, A., Morlock, R. et al. · MedRvix (2021)
Zamani, A., Carhart-Harris, R. L., Christoff, K. · Neuropsychopharmacology (2021)
Holze, F., Caluori, T. V., Vizeli, P. et al. · Psychopharmacology (2021)
Reynolds, L. M, Stack, A., Akroyd, A., Sundram, F. et al. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2021)
Mayer, C. E., LeBaron, V. T., Acquaviva, K. D. · Journal of Psychoactive Drugs (2021)
Bouso, J. C., Révész, D., Ona, G. et al. · Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021)
Daws, R. E., Timmermann, C., Giribaldi, B. et al. · Research Square (2021)
Carhart-Harris, R. L., Wagner, A. C., Agrawal, M. et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology (2021)
Gard, D. E., Pleet, M. M., Bradley, E. R. et al. · Journal of Affective Disorders (2021)
Agin-Liebes, G. I., Lancelotta, R., Uthaug, M. V. et al. · ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science (2021)
Zeifman, R. J., Singhal, N., Breslow, L. et al. · ACS Pharmacology and Translational Science (2021)
Your Personal Research Library
Go Pro to save papers, add notes, rate studies, and organize your research into custom shelves.