Research Keyword: antidepressant

Trajectory of Antidepressant Effects after Single- or Two-Dose Administration of Psilocybin: A Systematic Review and Multivariate Meta-Analysis

This comprehensive analysis of 10 clinical trials shows that psilocybin, a compound from magic mushrooms, can rapidly reduce depression symptoms starting within one day of administration and maintain these benefits for up to 6 months. Higher doses and two treatment sessions produced better results than single lower doses. While psilocybin did raise blood pressure temporarily, it was generally well-tolerated with dropout rates similar to placebo.

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Discovering the Potential Mechanisms of Medicinal Mushrooms Antidepressant Activity: A Review

This review explores how medicinal mushrooms may help fight depression through several natural mechanisms. These mushrooms contain compounds that boost serotonin production, reduce brain inflammation, and promote healthy neural growth. The review also discusses psilocybin from magic mushrooms as a promising rapid-acting treatment for severe depression that doesn’t respond to conventional medications.

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Comparative Efficacy and Functional Outcomes of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies in Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Systematic Review of Recent Clinical Trials

This systematic review examines how psychedelic-assisted therapies like ketamine and psilocybin help people with severe, treatment-resistant depression that doesn’t respond to standard antidepressants. The analysis of 10 recent clinical trials shows these therapies work quickly, often providing symptom relief within days rather than weeks, and importantly, they also help people return to work and daily functioning. These treatments are generally well-tolerated with minimal cognitive side effects, suggesting they could become important new options for patients who haven’t benefited from conventional depression treatments.

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Negative affective bias in depression following treatment with psilocybin or escitalopram – a secondary analysis from a randomized trial

This research compared how psilocybin mushrooms and escitalopram (a common antidepressant) affect the way depressed people perceive emotions. Both treatments helped patients become better at recognizing positive facial expressions and less likely to misinterpret neutral or positive faces as negative. Interestingly, while both treatments improved emotional processing similarly, the improvements were connected to later mood improvement in different ways for each drug, suggesting they may work through somewhat different mechanisms in the brain.

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Behavioral Phenotyping and Metabolomic Comparison of Chemically Synthesized Psilocybin and Psychedelic Mushroom Extract in a Zebrafish Depression Model

Researchers compared chemically made psilocybin with whole mushroom extract in zebrafish to test for depression-like effects. Both treatments reversed depressive behaviors and produced similar changes in brain chemicals, though the mushroom extract showed more neurotransmitter precursors. This study demonstrates that zebrafish can be useful models for studying how psychedelics might help treat depression.

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Rediscovering Psilocybin as an Antidepressive Treatment Strategy

Scientists have renewed their investigation into psilocybin, a compound found in certain mushrooms, as a potential treatment for depression. Studies show promising results with patients experiencing significant improvements in depressive symptoms, sometimes sustained for months after a single treatment session. When administered in controlled therapeutic environments with professional support, psilocybin appears relatively safe, though it can cause temporary side effects like headaches and anxiety. This research represents an important shift in how we might treat severe depression, especially in patients who haven’t responded to conventional antidepressants.

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Meta-correlation of the effect of ketamine and psilocybin induced subjective effects on therapeutic outcome

This study examined whether the psychological experiences people have while taking ketamine or psilocybin—such as feeling disconnected or having spiritual insights—are actually responsible for their mental health improvements. Researchers analyzed 23 studies and found that these subjective experiences explain about 10% of ketamine’s benefits and 24% of psilocybin’s benefits. Psilocybin’s effects appear more connected to therapeutic outcomes than ketamine’s, and both drugs showed stronger connections between subjective effects and treatment success in substance use disorder compared to depression.

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Efficacy of psilocybin for treating symptoms of depression: systematic review and meta-analysis

This comprehensive analysis of clinical trials found that psilocybin, a compound found in certain mushrooms, shows promise as a treatment for depression compared to placebo. The treatment was particularly effective for patients with depression related to serious illness, those using self-reported symptom assessments, older adults, and those with prior experience with psychedelics. While side effects were minimal and temporary, researchers emphasize that more research is needed to fully understand how expectancy and individual factors influence treatment outcomes.

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The effect of psilocybin on empathy and prosocial behavior: a proposed mechanism for enduring antidepressant effects

This review examines how psilocybin may help treat depression by increasing empathy and prosocial behavior. While psilocybin leaves the body within hours, its antidepressant effects can last months, and researchers believe empathy and helping others may explain this lasting benefit. The authors suggest psilocybin starts a positive cycle where increased empathy leads to helping others, which boosts mood and well-being, which further reinforces empathetic behavior.

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Engaging Mood Brain Circuits with Psilocybin (EMBRACE): a study protocol for a randomized, placebo-controlled and delayed-start, neuroimaging trial in depression

This research study is investigating how psilocybin, a compound from certain mushrooms, affects the brain in people with depression. The study involves 50 participants who will receive either psilocybin or a placebo, with their brain activity monitored using advanced imaging scans. Researchers will examine how psilocybin changes blood flow and network activity in brain regions involved in mood regulation, and whether these changes are linked to improvements in depression symptoms.

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