» Articles » PMID: 39540010

A Narrative Exploration of Psilocybin's Potential in Mental Health

Overview
Specialty Psychiatry
Date 2024 Nov 14
PMID 39540010
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

Psilocybin, a psychoactive substance, has recently garnered attention for its high therapeutic potential in psychiatry. In this study, we investigated the multifaceted aspects of psilocybin, highlighting its chemical properties, mechanisms of action, and burgeoning role in psychiatric treatment. Furthermore, we examined the clinical applications and potential therapeutic benefits of psilocybin in the treatment of various mental health disorders, supported by accumulating clinical evidence. This review aims to deepen our understanding of the clinical impact of psilocybin, elucidate its therapeutic value, and propose directions for future research, thereby paving the way for its integration into mainstream psychiatric treatments. Psilocybin has been shown to be safe in clinical trials with manageable side effects. However, additional safety measures are required after this discussion, including dosing protocols, patient monitoring, and distress management strategies.

References
1.
Barrett F, Doss M, Sepeda N, Pekar J, Griffiths R . Emotions and brain function are altered up to one month after a single high dose of psilocybin. Sci Rep. 2020; 10(1):2214. PMC: 7010702. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59282-y. View

2.
Johnson M, Griffiths R, Hendricks P, Henningfield J . The abuse potential of medical psilocybin according to the 8 factors of the Controlled Substances Act. Neuropharmacology. 2018; 142:143-166. PMC: 6791528. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.05.012. View

3.
Shah F, Shehzadi S, Akram F, Ul Haq I, Javed B, Sabir S . Unveiling the Psychedelic Journey: An Appraisal of Psilocybin as a Profound Antidepressant Therapy. Mol Biotechnol. 2023; 67(1):36-53. DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00994-7. View

4.
Khan A, Bradley E, ODonovan A, Woolley J . Psilocybin for Trauma-Related Disorders. Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2022; 56:319-332. DOI: 10.1007/7854_2022_366. View

5.
Peck S, Shao S, Gruen T, Yang K, Babakanian A, Trim J . Psilocybin therapy for females with anorexia nervosa: a phase 1, open-label feasibility study. Nat Med. 2023; 29(8):1947-1953. PMC: 10427429. DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02455-9. View