Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40385821›Full record

ReviewCureus2025

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

Ciara Mimms, Kassandra Sotelo, Abdul Saboor Khaliq

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Psychedelics in treatment-resistant depression: a comprehensive review of mechanisms, clinical evidence, and recommendations.Neuropsychiatrie : Klinik, Diagnostik, Therapie und Rehabilitation : Organ der Gesellschaft Osterreichischer Nervenarzte und Psychiater · 2026
    Review
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

3 authors.

Ciara MimmsInternal Medicine and Psychiatry, St. George's University School of Medicine, West Indies, GRD.
Kassandra SoteloInternal Medicine and Psychiatry, St. George's University School of Medicine, West Indies, GRD.
Abdul Saboor KhaliqInternal Medicine, Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, PAK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This systematic review explores the comparative efficacy and functional outcomes of psychedelic-assisted therapies in the management of treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in the last 12 months. Ten RCTs were included, evaluating agents such as ketamine, esketamine, and psilocybin. Most studies demonstrated significant reductions in depressive symptom severity, with oral and intranasal esketamine and high-dose psilocybin showing sustained antidepressant effects. Functional improvements, such as workplace productivity and cognitive stability, were reported in select trials, notably those involving esketamine. Risk of bias was low in four studies and moderate in six due to open-label or observational extensions. Overall, psychedelic therapies were well tolerated, with favorable safety profiles and minimal cognitive adverse effects. These findings support the integration of psychedelic-assisted therapies as viable alternatives or adjuncts in the treatment of TRD and highlight the importance of assessing both clinical and functional endpoints for a more holistic understanding of therapeutic benefit.

Indexed as

antidepressant responsecognitive effectsdepression scalesketaminepsilocybinpsychedelic-assisted therapypsychiatryrandomized controlled trialsystematic reviewtreatment-resistant depression

Identifiers

PMID40385821
PMCPMC12085959

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.