Clinical trials find psilocybin-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy effective in treating depression

PESHAWAR, Aug 07 (APP): Clinical trial carried out by Khyber Medical University (KMU) at Psychiatry Department of Hayatabad Medical Complex found that psilocybin assisted cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).

Psilocybin is a natural psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms that alters perception, mood, and thought. It works by binding to serotonin receptors in the brain and is actively studied for treating mental health conditions like depression.

“The randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of psilocybin and psilocybin-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in the management of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD),” informs Dr. Omar Malik, Associate Professor KMU.

Participants continued their routine depression medications and were assessed for changes in depression scores, biochemical markers, and brain activity patterns using validated tools and tests.

Talking to APP, Dr. Omar Malik said Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a prevalent psychiatric illness featuring persistent depressed mood, anhedonia, cognitive impairment, appetite and sleep disturbances, functional impairment, and a decrease in quality of life.

Thus, novel treatments that integrate psychological and biological processes are being investigated for the treatment of MDD, he added.

Although antidepressant drugs and psychological therapies are available, many patients still suffer from suboptimal response, recurrence, residual symptoms or resistance to treatment.

A total of sixty-seven patients with major depressive disorder were included and randomly distributed into four groups: ‘SSRI treatment, CBT, psilocybin therapy, and psilocybin combined with CBT’.

After the trials, marked reductions were observed in all active intervention groups with a significant score decrease in the psilocybin assisted CBT group.

Randomized controlled trials and follow-up research have shown that psilocybin-assisted therapy quickly and persistently reduces depression symptoms in people with MDD and treatment-resistant depression.

These results indicate that psilocybin may offer therapeutic benefits beyond traditional antidepressant mechanisms, particularly when administered with psychological preparation, support and integration.

During trials, participants in the psilocybin and psilocybin assisted CBT groups received psilocybin therapy in a dose of 7 grams first at baseline and subsequently after 06 weeks patients were given 2nd dose in the presence of trained clinicians.

The sessions were held in a quiet and safe environment and participants were watched for psychological and clinical safety. Blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation levels were monitored throughout the session. Anxiety and mood were monitored as well.

Antiemetic medications were administered as needed. Discharge was only carried out when the effects had worn off, participants were stable and willing/confident to go home. Adverse Event (AE) reporting form was filled by the attending investigator after discussion with participant, accompanying attendant and submitted for record.

A questionnaire was administered to gather sociodemographic data, such as age, gender, education level, socioeconomic background and other relevant medical history. The HAM- D Scale (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale) was used to measure the severity of depression at baseline, week 6 and week 10. Serum oxytocin concentrations were also assessed at the same time intervals.

The findings of this study observed that the CBT group demonstrated a significant reduction in HAM-D scores, suggesting that restructuring of negative thoughts, activation of positive behaviors, and therapist-assisted change in negative thinking styles had beneficial effects on depressive symptoms.

The group receiving psilocybin assisted CBT had a particularly good outcome, with the lowest final HAM-D score and the greatest increase in serum oxytocin levels.

Overall, this study demonstrates that psilocybin and CBT both may alleviate depressive symptoms, and that they may be particularly beneficial in improving both clinical and neurobiological indices when used together.