Psilocybin for psychiatric disorders: History, clinical trials, neuroimaging, and regulations - PubMed
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- #neuroimaging
- #psilocybin
- #psychiatric disorders
- Psilocybin is a classic psychedelic compound with renewed interest for treating psychiatric disorders.
- Historically used in spiritual and healing rituals, psilocybin research was stalled due to legal restrictions in the 1970s.
- Research resumed in the 1990s, showing therapeutic potential for disorders like major depressive disorder (MDD) and substance use disorders.
- Phase III clinical trials for psilocybin in depression are ongoing, but data for obsessive-compulsive disorder and bipolar depression are limited.
- Short-term side effects are generally mild and transient, but long-term effects need further study.
- Neuroimaging research, including MRI and EEG, is limited but ongoing, with studies extending beyond MDD.
- Regulatory frameworks vary, with psilocybin use permitted under controlled conditions in Switzerland, parts of the US, Canada, and Australia.
- Challenges include the need for larger, blinded trials, standardized protocols, and clarification of long-term efficacy and safety.