Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40730892›Full record

SynthesisEating and weight disorders : EWD2025

Psilocybin in the treatment of eating disorders: a systematic review of the literature and registered clinical trials.

Francesco Bevione, Maria Carla Lacidogna, Raffaele Lavalle, Giovanni Abbate Daga, Antonio Preti

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Eating and weight disorders : EWD, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–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. Review
  2. Article
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

5 authors.

Francesco BevioneDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy.
Maria Carla LacidognaDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy.
Raffaele LavalleDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy.
Giovanni Abbate DagaDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy.
Antonio PretiDepartment of Neuroscience, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 15, 10126, Turin, Italy. antonio.preti@unito.it.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFluoxetine remains the only pharmacological treatment approved for Bulimia Nervosa, and no other drugs have been approved for eating disorders (EDs). The rationale for exploring psilocybin as a treatment for EDs is compelling, both from biological and psychological perspectives. Moreover, its safety profile in healthy individuals appears favorable. This systematic review aims to examine original research articles and registered clinical trials to assess the current psilocybin's therapeutic potential in EDs.

methodsSystematic review following the indications of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We searched PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), and the Cochrane Library from inception until 29 July 2024, with key terms: "psilocybin" and "eating disorders". Quality was assessed through the Quality Assessment Tool for Before-After (Pre-Post) Studies With No Control Group released by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). We performed an additional search on the registry of clinical trials available at the website https://clinicaltrials.gov .

resultsTwo studies met the inclusion criteria for our analysis. The first was an open-label feasibility study involving 10 individuals with Anorexia Nervosa (AN), without a control group. The second was a single case report describing the use of psilocybin in a person with AN. In addition, six registered clinical trials of psilocybin in individuals with EDs were identified.

conclusionsThe initial evidence shows that psilocybin might be safe and well-tolerated in AN. The promising results and the need for tests in enlarged samples encourage further research on psilocybin in EDs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE VIII: Evidence from nonrandomized controlled clinical trials, nonrandomized clinical trials, cohort studies, case series, case reports, and individual qualitative studies.

Indexed as

Feeding and Eating DisordersHallucinogensPsilocybinClinical Trials as TopicHumansHallucinogensPsilocybinEating disordersNovel treatmentsPsilocybinPsychedelicsPsychotherapy

Identifiers

PMID40730892
PMCPMC12307571

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.