Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29119217›Full record

Trial reportPsychopharmacology2018

Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up.

R L Carhart-Harris, M Bolstridge, C M J Day, J Rucker, R Watts, D E Erritzoe, M Kaelen, B Giribaldi, M Bloomfield, S Pilling and 6 more

5 registry-linked trialsOpen access · hybridAbstract readClinical Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Psychopharmacology, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 5 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 396 papers, 12 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
396citing papers in PubMed, 12 pooled it
50.8field-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.

NCT03429075 phase2completednot on this mapstarted 2019, after this paper: background citation

Psilocybin vs Escitalopram for Major Depressive Disorder: Comparative Mechanisms

TypeinterventionalSponsorImperial College LondonRan2019 to 2020Enrolled59ConditionsDepressive Disorder, MajorArmsPsilocybin + Placebo, Psilocybin + Escitalopram
NCT04410913 phase2active not recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2021, after this paper: background citation

Pilot Trial of Visual Healing®, a Nature-themed Virtual Immersive Experience, to Optimize Set and Setting in Psilocybin-assisted Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder

TypeinterventionalSponsorKeith HeinzerlingRan2021 to 2023Enrolled20ConditionsAlcohol Use DisorderArmsPsilocybin plus Visual Healing Set and Setting, Psilocybin plus Standard Set and Setting
NCT05065294 phase2active not recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2022, after this paper: background citation

An Open-Label Pilot Study Examining the Feasibility, Safety, and Effectiveness of Psilocybin Therapy for Depression in Bipolar II Disorder

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of California, San FranciscoRan2022 to 2025Enrolled14ConditionsBipolar II DisorderArmsPsilocybin therapy
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
NCT06706232 phase2recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2025, after this paper: background citation

Acceptability & Safety of Two Sequential Doses of Psilocybin in Bipolar Disorder II Depression and Suicidality

TypeinterventionalSponsorThe University of Texas Health Science Center, HoustonRan2025 to 2027Enrolled10ConditionsBipolar II Disorder, Depression, Bipolar, SuicidalityArmsPsilocybin, Therapeutic Support
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

396 citing papers in PubMed, 12 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 949 citations in OpenAlex.

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  3. Magnitude of response in treatment and control groups within psychedelic trials for psychiatric disorders: A meta-analysis.European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists · 2026
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  8. Autism, youth suicide, and psychedelics: A review of the 21st century evidence.Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA · 2024
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336 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors at 6 institutions in 1 country.

R L Carhart-HarrisPsychedelic Research Group, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK. r.carhart-harris@imperial.ac.uk.
M BolstridgePsychedelic Research Group, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
C M J DayPsychedelic Research Group, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
J RuckerPsychedelic Research Group, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
R WattsPsychedelic Research Group, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
D E ErritzoePsychedelic Research Group, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
M KaelenPsychedelic Research Group, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
B GiribaldiPsychedelic Research Group, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
M BloomfieldDivision of Psychiatry, University College London and Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, University College London, London, UK.
S PillingClinical Psychology and Clinical Effectiveness, University College London, London, UK.
J A RickardBarts Health Pharmaceuticals, Barts Health NHS Trust, the Royal London Hospital, London, UK.
B ForbesInstitute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, UK.
A FeildingThe Beckley Foundation, Beckley Park, Oxford, UK.
D TaylorPharmacy and Pathology, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
H V CurranClinical Psychology and Clinical Effectiveness, University College London, London, UK.
D J NuttPsychedelic Research Group, Centre for Neuropsychopharmacology, Division of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Imperial College London · GBUniversity College London · GBSouth London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust · GBBarts Health NHS Trust · GBBeckley Foundation · GBKing's College London · GB

Funding

Department of Health CS-2017-17-007Medical Research Council MR/J00460X/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

rationaleRecent clinical trials are reporting marked improvements in mental health outcomes with psychedelic drug-assisted psychotherapy.

objectivesHere, we report on safety and efficacy outcomes for up to 6 months in an open-label trial of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression.

methodsTwenty patients (six females) with (mostly) severe, unipolar, treatment-resistant major depression received two oral doses of psilocybin (10 and 25 mg, 7 days apart) in a supportive setting. Depressive symptoms were assessed from 1 week to 6 months post-treatment, with the self-rated QIDS-SR16 as the primary outcome measure.

resultsTreatment was generally well tolerated. Relative to baseline, marked reductions in depressive symptoms were observed for the first 5 weeks post-treatment (Cohen's d = 2.2 at week 1 and 2.3 at week 5, both p < 0.001); nine and four patients met the criteria for response and remission at week 5. Results remained positive at 3 and 6 months (Cohen's d = 1.5 and 1.4, respectively, both p < 0.001). No patients sought conventional antidepressant treatment within 5 weeks of psilocybin. Reductions in depressive symptoms at 5 weeks were predicted by the quality of the acute psychedelic experience.

conclusionsAlthough limited conclusions can be drawn about treatment efficacy from open-label trials, tolerability was good, effect sizes large and symptom improvements appeared rapidly after just two psilocybin treatment sessions and remained significant 6 months post-treatment in a treatment-resistant cohort. Psilocybin represents a promising paradigm for unresponsive depression that warrants further research in double-blind randomised control trials.

Indexed as

Psychosocial Support SystemsAdultAntidepressive AgentsCombined Modality TherapyDepressive Disorder, Treatment-ResistantDouble-Blind MethodFeasibility StudiesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHallucinogensHumansMaleMiddle AgedPsilocybinTime FactorsTreatment OutcomeAntidepressive AgentsHallucinogensPsilocybin5-HT2ARDepressionHallucinogenMoodPsilocybinPsychedelicPsychotherapySerotoninTreatment-resistant depression

Identifiers

PMID29119217
PMCPMC5813086
OpenAlexW2767530231

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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.