The hallucinogenic compound in "magic" mushrooms could form the basis of new treatments for depression, researchers reported today.
Psilocybin is rapidly converted to psilocin in the body, where it has similar mind-altering effects to LSD.
Dr Robin Carhart-Harris and Professor David Nutt, of Imperial College London, London, UK, and colleagues examined its potential therapeutic value.
Professor Nutt is a former government drugs adviser who was sacked over his persistence in demanding that drug risks be properly evaluated.
"Treatment-resistant depression is common, disabling and extremely difficult to treat," says Dr Carhart-Harris. "New treatments are urgently needed."
Professor Nutt said: “Psilocybin targets the serotonin receptors in the brain, just as most antidepressants do, but it has a very different chemical structure to currently available antidepressants and acts faster than traditional antidepressants.”
Psilocybin targets serotonin receptors in the brain, as do many antidepressants, although it has a very different chemical structure.
The team recruited six women and six men with long-lasting moderate to severe depression, all of whom had been unsuccessfully treated with antidepressants.
They were first give a low dose of psilocybin (10mg) orally, to check for adverse reactions. A week later they took a higher (25mg) dose.
Both times the capsules were taken while lying down in a room with low lighting and music, and two psychiatrists present. MRI scans were done the day after the 25mg dose, and participants were followed for three months.
After a week, all patients showed improvement in their depression, with 67% achieving temporary remission. After three months, 58% continued to show an improvement, and 42% were still in remission.
"This is the first time that psilocybin has been investigated as a potential treatment for major depression," says Dr Carhart-Harris. "Our study shows that psilocybin is a promising area of future research. We now need larger trials to understand whether the effects we saw in this study translate into long-term benefits, and to study how psilocybin compares to other current treatments."
Details were published in The Lancet Psychiatry yesterday (17 May).
Carhart-Harris, R. L. et al. Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: an open-label feasibility study. The Lancet Psychiatry 17 May 2016; doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(16)30065-7
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