Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27909164›Full record

Trial reportJournal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)2016

Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial.

Stephen Ross, Anthony Bossis, Jeffrey Guss, Gabrielle Agin-Liebes, Tara Malone, Barry Cohen, Sarah E Mennenga, Alexander Belser, Krystallia Kalliontzi, James Babb and 3 more

10 registry-linked trialsOpen access · bronzeAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England), 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 10 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 639 papers, 19 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
639citing papers in PubMed, 19 pooled it
92.9field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT00957359 early_phase1completednot on this map

Effects of Psilocybin on Anxiety and Psychosocial Distress in Cancer Patients

TypeinterventionalSponsorNYU Langone HealthRan2009 to 2018Enrolled29ConditionsCancerArmsPsilocybin, Niacin
NCT03356483 phase1completednot on this mapstarted 2018, after this paper: background citation

Psilocybin Treatment in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: a Preliminary Efficacy Study and Exploratory Investigation of Neural Correlates.

TypeinterventionalSponsorYale UniversityRan2018 to 2024Enrolled31ConditionsObsessive-Compulsive DisorderArmsPsilocybin (0.25mg/kg), Niacin (250mg)
NCT03866174 phase2completednot on this mapstarted 2020, after this paper: background citation

A Randomized, Double-Blind Study of Single-Dose Psilocybin for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

TypeinterventionalSponsorUsona InstituteRan2020 to 2022Enrolled347ConditionsDepressive Disorder, MajorArmsPsilocybin, Niacin, Set and Setting (SaS) Protocol
NCT04754061 phase1 / phase2active not recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

PSilocybin for psYCHological and Existential Distress in PALliative Care (PSYCHED-PAL): A Multi-site, Open-label, Single Arm Phase I/II Proof-of-concept, Dose-finding, and Feasibility Clinical Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorOttawa Hospital Research InstituteRan2024 to 2027Enrolled20ConditionsDepression, Anxiety, Distress, EmotionalArmsPsilocybin
NCT05214417 phase2unknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

Conscious Dying/Conscious Living: Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) for Patients at End of Life-A Pilot Study for Palliative and Hospice Care

TypeinterventionalSponsorThe Ketamine Research FoundationRan2022 to 2024Enrolled120ConditionsIllness TerminalArmsKetamine Injectable Solution, Naturalistic Control
NCT05370911 phase1active not recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Effects of Repeated Dosing of Psilocybin on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Randomized, Waitlist-Controlled Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorYale UniversityRan2023 to 2027Enrolled28ConditionsObsessive-Compulsive DisorderArmsPsilocybin
NCT05403086 phase2recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Pragmatic Trial of Psilocybin Therapy in Palliative Care (PT2PC): A Multicenter Triple-blind Phase 2 Randomized Controlled Trial of Psilocybin Therapy for Demoralized Adults Near the End of Life

TypeinterventionalSponsorCharles S. Grob, M.D.Ran2025 to 2027Enrolled100ConditionsDemoralizationArmsPsilocybin, Ketamine
NCT05452772 phase2recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

5-HT2A Agonist Psilocybin in the Treatment of Tobacco Use Disorder

TypeinterventionalSponsorJohns Hopkins UniversityRan2023 to 2027Enrolled66ConditionsTobacco Use DisorderArmsPsilocybin, Niacin
NCT06303739 phase3active not recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Induction Protocol for Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD): A Pilot Study

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel HillRan2024 to 2027Enrolled20ConditionsRefractory Depression, Treatment Resistant DepressionArmspsilocybin
NCT06820723 phase2recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Mechanistic Study to Assess a Single Oral Dose of CYB003 in Participants With Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Moderate to Severe Anxiety

TypeinterventionalSponsorOhio State UniversityRan2026 to 2028Enrolled40ConditionsDepression, Anxiety, Major Depressive DisorderArmsCYB003, Placebo
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

639 citing papers in PubMed, 19 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 1,634 citations in OpenAlex.

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579 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors at 6 institutions in 1 country.

Stephen RossDepartment of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA stephen.ross@nyumc.org.
Anthony BossisDepartment of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Jeffrey GussDepartment of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Gabrielle Agin-LiebesPalo Alto University, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
Tara MaloneDepartment of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Barry CohenDepartment of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA.
Sarah E MennengaDepartment of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Alexander BelserDepartment of Applied Psychology, New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York, NY, USA.
Krystallia KalliontziNew York University College of Dentistry, Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York, NY, USA.
James BabbDepartment of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Zhe SuDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
Patricia CorbyNew York University College of Dentistry, Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York, NY, USA.
Brian L SchmidtNew York University College of Dentistry, Bluestone Center for Clinical Research, New York, NY, USA.
New York University · USBellevue Hospital Center · USAmerican Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry · USCenter for Clinical Research (United States) · USNew York College of Health Professions · USPalo Alto University · US

Funding

Institutional Clinical and Translational Science AwardUL1TR000038 · NCATS · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI CRONSTEIN, BRUCE NEIL · 2012 to 2014
$16.8M
NCATS NIH HHS UL1 TR000038
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundClinically significant anxiety and depression are common in patients with cancer, and are associated with poor psychiatric and medical outcomes. Historical and recent research suggests a role for psilocybin to treat cancer-related anxiety and depression.

methodsIn this double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial, 29 patients with cancer-related anxiety and depression were randomly assigned and received treatment with single-dose psilocybin (0.3 mg/kg) or niacin, both in conjunction with psychotherapy. The primary outcomes were anxiety and depression assessed between groups prior to the crossover at 7 weeks.

resultsPrior to the crossover, psilocybin produced immediate, substantial, and sustained improvements in anxiety and depression and led to decreases in cancer-related demoralization and hopelessness, improved spiritual wellbeing, and increased quality of life. At the 6.5-month follow-up, psilocybin was associated with enduring anxiolytic and anti-depressant effects (approximately 60-80% of participants continued with clinically significant reductions in depression or anxiety), sustained benefits in existential distress and quality of life, as well as improved attitudes towards death. The psilocybin-induced mystical experience mediated the therapeutic effect of psilocybin on anxiety and depression.

conclusionsIn conjunction with psychotherapy, single moderate-dose psilocybin produced rapid, robust and enduring anxiolytic and anti-depressant effects in patients with cancer-related psychological distress.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00957359.

Indexed as

AdultAgedAnxietyCross-Over StudiesDepressionDouble-Blind MethodFemaleHallucinogensHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasmsPsilocybinPsychotherapyQuality of LifeSurveys and QuestionnairesHallucinogensPsilocybinanxietycancerdepressionmystical experiencePsilocybinpsychedelic

Identifiers

PMID27909164
PMCPMC5367551
OpenAlexW2559739670

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

and 4 more above

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.