NEW YORK, January 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — One or two doses of psilocybin, a compound found in psychedelic mushrooms, can improve the mental health of cancer patients when combined with psychotherapy, a new report suggests. . A second new study found that treatment with psilocybin produced lasting, positive changes in patients with alcohol use disorders.
The findings of the first report have been published online October 7th in the newspaper Natural Health, and the second is published online January 1st in a special edition of The American Journal of Psychiatry focused on psilocybin research.
In the first study, a team of experts at NYU Langone Health found that psilocybin combined with psychotherapy significantly reduced anxiety, depression, obsessive thoughts, anger toward others, and physical symptoms associated with stress. with an update lasting six months.
“Our findings suggest that the mental health benefits of psilocybin therapy for cancer patients may be more far-reaching than previously understood,” said the lead author. in education. Peter PetridisMD, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
The study also concluded that the mood-altering drug psilocybin did not appear to cause lasting paranoia, psychosis or intense feelings of fear (phobia). As a result, their analysis adds to the growing evidence that psilocybin can be administered safely under close medical supervision, says the senior author of the study. Stephen RossMD. Ross is a clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and serves as co-director of its Center for Psychedelic Medicine.
For the study, researchers analyzed data from two previous clinical trials that used psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to treat anxiety and depression in 79 men and women with cancer. In the experiments, about half of the participants initially received a large dose of psilocybin while the rest were given vitamin B3 or a small dose of the psychedelic drug as a placebo. Neither the researchers nor the patients were told which drugs they were given.
After six or seven weeks, depending on the experiment, the groups switched treatments. Psychotherapy preceded and followed each evaluation study, and participants completed a questionnaire about mental health symptoms at the beginning of the study and six months after second degree.
In a second new study, another group, led by researchers at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, found that psilocybin treatment can also improve mental health in those with alcohol use disorders. Compared to patients receiving a placebo, those treated with psilocybin were found to be less impulsive, depressed, and vulnerable than they were before treatment. At the same time, these patients became more “open,” or more accepting of their thoughts and feelings. These changes were observed seven months after the participants received their second dose of psilocybin.
This study examined personality changes in men and women who participated in the first clinical trial that used psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to treat alcoholism. During the experiment, participants received two doses of psilocybin or an antihistamine placebo, receiving psychotherapy before and after each dose session. The authors tested 83 patients using a standard personality test before psychotherapy began and eight months after the first dose of study medication.
“Since depression has been associated with both binge drinking and post-treatment relapse, the personality changes brought about by psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy may help those recovering from alcohol addiction to remain resilient.” internal and external stressors are known to cause relapse,” said the study’s lead author. Broc PagniPhD. Pagni is a graduate student in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
Clearly, studies have also shown that men are more likely to have positive feelings when women see an increase in freedom. However, more research is needed to understand the reasons behind these differences or what they might mean for any patient, says the study’s senior author. Michael BogenschutzMD.
Bogenschutz, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and director of its Center for Psychedelic Medicine, adds that the study’s authors plan to examine whether the personality changes observed in the latest research can also be replicated. occurs in trials of psilocybin for opioid use disorder.
Bogenschutz notes that in both studies, most participants were able to correctly guess whether they received psilocybin or a placebo.
Psilocybin is a natural compound derived from fungi that has mind-altering properties similar to those of LSD and mescaline. Most of the participants in the study experience profound changes in their feelings, emotions, and feelings, often including experiences that are considered of great personal and spiritual significance. Because this drug raises blood pressure and heart rate and can cause disabling and sometimes debilitating side effects, researchers caution that it should only be used under controlled conditions and under medical supervision. mind and careful preparation.
Scholarships for study by Nature Mental Health was supported by National Institutes of Health grants UL1TR000038 and T32DA007250. Additional financial support was provided by the Heffter Research Institute, RiverStyx Foundation, Betsy Gordon Foundation, Fetzer Institute, Usona Institute, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Carey and Claudia TurnbullW. Linton, R. Barnhart, A. Altschul, K. Fitzsimmons, McCormick Family, G. Goldsmith, and E. Malievskaia. Scholarships for study by The American Journal of Psychiatry was provided by the Heffter Research Institute and individual contributions from Carey and Claudia TurnbullDr. Efrem NulmanRodrigo Niño, and Cody Swift.
In addition to Petridis, Ross, Pagni, and Bogenschutz, other NYU Langone researchers involved in the studies are. Richard ZeifmanPhD; Brennan CarrithersMD; Noam GoldwayPhD; and Kelley O’DonnellMD, PhD. Other researchers include Jack Grinband, PhD, and Connor KinslowMD, and Columbia University to New York City; Gabrielle Agin-DearPhD, at Yale University to New Haven, Conn.; Roland GriffithsPhD, at Johns Hopkins University to Baltimore, Md.; Sarah MennengaPhD, at Arizona State University TempeArizona; and Snehal BhattMD, to University of New Mexico in AlbuquerqueNM
Pagni and Zeifman receive support from the NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine Research Training Program, sponsored by MindMed. Bogenschutz has received research funding from Tilray Canada, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies PBC, B. More Inc., the Heffter Research Institute, the Turnbull Family Foundation, the Fournier Family Foundation, Dr. Bronner’s Family Foundation, Robert Lintonand the Riverstyx Society. He also serves or has served on the Advisory Board of Ajna Labs LLC, Journey Colab, and Bright Minds Biosciences, Inc., and is a named inventor on patent applications related to the use of psilocybin for the treatment of use of alcohol but waived all rights. he has no expectation of financial gain. Ross is director of the NYU Langone Health Center for Psychedelic Medicine Research Training Program, sponsored by MindMed. Ross also receives or has received grant support for clinical research from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Cancer Institute, the Heffter Research Center, the Usona Institute, the Spiritual Processes Council, Multidisciplinary Society for Psychedelic Studies, and Reset Pharma. He is also listed as an inventor on patent applications related to the use of psilocybin to treat 1) depression and cancer and 2) suicide. These patent applications were filed by NYU Grossman School of Medicine and licensed by Reset Pharmaceuticals. Ross has waived all rights related to these patent applications and has no expectation of financial gain related to any future commercial endeavors related to these rights. The terms and conditions of these relationships are all governed by NYU Langone Health.
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SOURCE NYU Grossman School of Medicine and NYU Langone Health
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