A British study published in The Lancet psychiatry suggests that psilocybin, one of the active molecules of hallucinogenic mushrooms, would have important therapeutic potential, especially in the treatment of severe depression.
Recent studies have already shown the interest of this molecule for reduce anxiety in people with social exclusion and that it was effective to treat post-traumatic stress.
This new study, led by Dr Robin Carhart-Harris of Imperia college in London (Great Britain) and carried out on 12 patients suffering from treatment-resistant unipolar depression, shows for the first time that promising effects on this disease .
8 out of 12 patients no longer experienced symptoms of their depression
9 of the patients selected for this study suffered from depression severe and 3 of moderate depression. One of them had been affected by the disease for 30 years. All had tried at least two treatments, without success. After receiving a low dose, to test for possible side effects, patients were given a high dose of psilocybin, the hallucinogenic chemical in fungi. After this “mystical and spiritual” experience as described by some of the patients, 8 of them no longer suffered from depression and three months later, 5 patients still had no depressive symptoms.
According to the researchers, psilocybin targets certain receptors in the brain (serotoninergic receptors) which have, among other things, a role in regulating mood and anxiety.
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