Long-term antidepressant effects of magic mushrooms are comparable to conventional medication Original paper
In this follow-up study to a randomized controlled trial in 46 adults with major depressive disorder who took psilocybin or escitalopram for 6 weeks, reductions in depression symptoms persisted at 6 months after intervention completion.
This Study Summary was published on April 22, 2025.
The study
The psilocybin group received two 25-milligram doses, taken 3 weeks apart. The escitalopram group took 10 milligrams per day for 3 weeks, then 20 milligrams/day for the subsequent 3 weeks. Both groups received psychological support. The original study was covered in this study summary.
The secondary outcomes of work and social functioning, connectedness, and meaning in life (assessed using questionnaires) — which improved at week 6 compared to the escitalopram group — remained better at months 3 and 6 of the follow-up period.
More than half of the participants received some form of additional intervention during follow-up (i.e., medication, psychotherapy, and/or psychedelics), but there were no differences between the groups.
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The results
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This Study Summary was published on April 22, 2025.