Magic mushroom compound shows promise for treatment-resistant depression

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2026-08-06 19:00

International

What does this mean?

Jump to: MultimediaAttachmentsExpert Reaction

UK scientists who ran a small 'gold standard' trial testing psilocybin - the active compound in magic mushrooms - for treatment-resistant depression found the psychedelic substance may be effective. They tested the drug in 59 people who met the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder and had not responded to two or more drug-based treatments, or one or more combinations of drugs and psychotherapy. The patients were either given a low dose of psilocybin, a higher dose, or an inactive placebo during a six-hour guided therapy session, and then followed up for six weeks. The researchers found big improvements in the group given psilocybin, which were not seen in the placebo group at week three, and these were sustained at week six, for both clinician-rated and patient-rated depressive symptoms. Further studies on a larger scale should be conducted to confirm these findings, the authors conclude.