Dec 5, 2024 - News

Psilocybin eases burnout and depression, UW study finds

Christine Clarridge

Illustration of a mushroom with the top made from a human brain — Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios

Psilocybin-assisted therapy significantly reduced depression symptoms in clinicians who served on the front lines of COVID-19 care, according to a new study led by University of Washington researchers.

Driving the news: Participants who received psilocybin saw their depression symptoms decrease by an average of 21.33 points on a clinical scale, compared to a 9.33-point reduction in the placebo group, according to findings from a clinical trial published Thursday in JAMA Network Open.

The big picture: Psychedelics are emerging as a promising tool for treating mental health disorders, with over 200 clinical trials on psilocybin underway worldwide.

What they did: Researchers conducted a double-blind, randomized clinical trial with 30 participants who met criteria for depression after providing frontline care during the pandemic, per UW Medicine.

The treatment group received a 25mg dose of synthesized psilocybin, while the control group was given 100mg of niacin.

What they're saying: "For doctors and nurses who feel burned out or disillusioned or disconnected from the patient care they want to provide, this study shows that psilocybin therapy is safe and can help these clinicians work through those feelings and get better," Anthony Back, a professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine and lead researcher, said in a written statement.

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Psilocybin eases burnout and depression, UW study finds

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