The “magic” ingredient in magic mushrooms could be used to help people whose depression has proven resistant to other treatments, according to a new study by mental health care company COMPASS Pathways and King’s College London.
Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, has been touted as a miracle drug. Whether or not you consider it a miracle, the science in this new study shows that psilocybin was administered to healthy adults with no negative effects on cognitive and emotional functioning. Doses were administered along with one-on-one sessions with a therapist, which could be an important factor in the success of any treatment involving psilocybin.
Dr. Ekaterina Malievskaia, chief innovation officer and co-founder of COMPASS Pathways, said in a release, “This study is part of our overall clinical development programme in treatment-resistant depression; we wanted to look at the safety and tolerability profile of our psilocybin, and to look at the feasibility of a model where up to six [one-on-one] sessions are held at the same time. We are focused on getting psilocybin therapy safely to as many patients who would benefit from it as possible.”
This is the largest controlled study of psilocybin so far, according to Dr. James Rucker, senior clinical lecturer in psychopharmacology at King’s College London and lead investigator of the study.
“The results of the study are clinically reassuring and support further development of psilocybin as a treatment for patients with mental health problems that haven’t improved with conventional therapy, such as treatment-resistant depression,” Rucker said in the release.
Psilocybin is currently banned under federal law and categorized as a Schedule I drug. However, Denver decriminalized the drug in May 2019, followed by Oakland, Calif., a month later.
In June, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez proposed legislation to make it easier for scientists to study psychodelic drugs, including psilocybin, by removing the prohibition on spending federal money to “promote the legalization” of Schedule I drugs. The House of Representatives rejected the amendment.