Scottsdale lab to study use of whole psilocybin mushrooms for PTSD
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Whole psilocybin mushrooms. Photo: Joe Amon/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
The Scottsdale Research Institute (SRI) is preparing to begin a landmark study on the use of whole psilocybin mushrooms to treat post-traumatic stress disorder.
Why it matters: There is a growing body of research suggesting that psilocybin could be effective at treating PTSD.
The intrigue: Previous research has focused on synthetic lab-made psilocybin, not whole mushrooms, said researcher Sue Sisley, the president of SRI.
- While psilocybin is the ingredient that induces psychedelic experiences, Sisley told Axios that whole mushrooms have other components that could have an "entourage effect" that would provide better and longer-lasting results than the single molecule.
- SRI believes this will be the world's first controlled trial on whole mushrooms.
How it works: The study, which SRI plans to start in December, will include 24 subjects, split evenly between police officers, firefighters and military veterans.
- Each cohort will be given 4.32 grams of whole mushrooms in chocolate, containing 30mg of psilocybin. Sisley called this a "substantial" dose that's been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
- They'll wear eyeshades and headphones, and listen to playlists carefully curated to "to help them move through the psychedelic experience to elicit deeper emotions to possibly excavate trauma that's been suppressed for years, decades sometimes."
Zoom in: The study ends after 30 days, but the institute hopes to keep the groups intact and monitor the subjects long-term.
Between the lines: SRI hopes to qualify mushrooms for the federal Right To Try Act, allowing people with life-threatening diseases or conditions to use drugs that aren't FDA-approved but have undergone phase I trials like the one the institute is planning.
- The institute believes first responders with under-treated PTSD would qualify, given the prevalence of suicide.
What's next: SRI is awaiting final approval from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, which Sisley has "every confidence" will happen in a timely manner.
- An email to the DEA from Axios was met with an automated response stating that its operations are focused on national security, violations of federal law and essential public safety functions due to the current lapse in appropriations.
Catch up quick: The Legislature and Gov. Katie Hobbs in 2023 approved $5 million in grants for researchers to conduct clinical trials on psilocybin mushrooms.
- SRI's study will be partially funded by one of those grants.