According to a recent study, a single dose of psilocybin can quickly reduce obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. Additionally, the study’s results indicate psilocybin may alleviate OCD symptoms for at least 12 weeks.
Two to three percent of the population globally suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). 40 to 60% of patients do not improve with initial therapies and/or antidepressants.
To test psilocybin for OCD treatment, Christopher Pittenger at Yale School of Medicine and his colleagues conducted the first randomized, placebo-controlled trial using the naturally occurring tryptamine alkaloid (AKA magic mushrooms).
New Scientist reports that the research team gathered 28 persons who, on average, had experienced OCD for 20 years and had tried at least two different treatments without results. Researchers used a standard scale that yields a score between 0 and 40 to grade each person’s symptom severity.
Following that, researchers randomized them to receive either a single oral dose of psilocybin (0.25 milligrams per kilogram of body weight) or niacin (250 milligrams), which served as a placebo.
In contrast to those taking niacin, the 14 individuals who received psilocybin experienced an average drop of 9.76 points in their symptom scores after 48 hours. Approximately 70% of psilocybin users still had a 35% drop in symptom scores one week later, and the benefits continued during a 12-week follow-up.
The study had promising results, but with some caveats
While the results of the study were promising, they also highlighted the need for certain safeguards when utilizing psilocybin as an OCD treatment.
One individual who had been contemplating suicide for a long time started actively planning it during the study. Pittenger says this emphasizes the necessity of having clinical protections in place when administering psilocybin medically. According to him, larger trials are also necessary to verify the drug’s safety and effectiveness, the ideal dosage, and who is most likely to benefit or be at risk.
Also, because trial participants can often gauge whether they have received psilocybin or a placebo, the relative contributions of the study’s pharmaceutical and psychological components are difficult to ascertain.