The scientific study of psychedelic drugs has occurred in fits and starts over the past several decades, but it has experienced a revival in recent years, with emphasis on the drugs' beneficial effects on depression and other neuropsychiatric illnesses. Psilocybin, in particular, has emerged as a potent psychedelic drug that shows promise as a treatment for depression, offering a paradigm shift from traditional therapeutic approaches.

Psilocybin is a psychoactive compound derived from certain types of mushrooms – often referred to as "magic mushrooms" or "shrooms." The compound elicits an array of psychedelic effects on the human brain, including auditory and visual hallucinations that arise from reduced activity in the thalamus, an area of the brain that processes sensory input.

Psilocybin provided lasting remissions from depressive symptoms.

"These people experience very large and sustained decreases in anxiety and depression, and the effects occurred quite promptly after the administration of the drug."- Roland Griffiths, Ph.D. Click To Tweet

Recent clinical trials have demonstrated that psilocybin, when administered in conjunction with psychotherapy, helped people with depression achieve remission of their depressive symptoms – an effect that lasted for at least one month post-treatment. Scientists aren't sure just how psilocybin works to relieve depression, but research in rodents suggests that the compound fosters the formation of new, lasting connections in the brain, bolstering synapse density. This is important because people with depression often have low synapse density.

Strict protocols protect participants and safeguard future research.

"This isn't a guided session. There are two people present who…are there just for safety purposes and to make people feel that if anxiety or fear arises, they can be reassured." - Roland Griffiths, Ph.D. Click To Tweet

An important aspect of studying potent hallucinogenic drugs like psilocybin is understanding and respecting the risks they carry to study participants. Dr. Roland Griffiths, a professor of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and one of the world's leading experts on psychedelics, was instrumental in developing a study protocol for safely and ethically investigating the compounds' effects.

This episode was fiscally sponsored through The Film Collaborative and a grant from a generous anonymous donor.

In the segment featuring the conversation with Dr. Griffiths, he explains that adherence to this protocol, which involves close participant monitoring, a dose methodically determined to reduce the likelihood of a challenging experience while maximizing therapeutic effects, and the provision of a safe physical environment and interpersonal support, is crucial for participant safety. An added bonus: It also safeguards the capacity to conduct future research.

With research on psilocybin still in its infancy, it's difficult to say whether the compound will one day become a standard intervention for depression. But the emerging findings look promising, offering hope for the millions of people worldwide who live with the condition.

Relevant publications

• Psilocybin induces rapid and persistent growth of dendritic spines in frontal cortex in vivo
• Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial (2016)
• Trial of Psilocybin versus Escitalopram for Depression