WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A new study has found that a single dose of psilocybin, a natural psychedelic found in certain mushrooms, may help reduce depression and anxiety in cancer patients.
The study, published in the journal CANCER, included 28 patients who had both cancer and major depression. Each person was given one 25 mg dose of psilocybin, along with support from a therapist before, during, and after the treatment.
Two years later, more than half of the patients (about 54 percent) still had a noticeable drop in their depression symptoms. Half of them (50 percent) also showed long-term improvement or full remission. Around 43 percent of the patients had reduced anxiety as well.
Researchers are now running a larger study to test whether one or two doses of psilocybin work better than a placebo. The goal is to help more cancer patients overcome depression and anxiety during their treatment.
'One dose of psilocybin with psychological support to treat depression has a long-term positive impact on relieving depression for as much as 2 years for a substantial portion of patients with cancer, and we're exploring whether repeating the treatment resolves depression for more than half of the patients,' noted lead author Manish Agrawal.
'If randomized testing shows similar results, this could lead to greater use of psilocybin to treat depression in patients with cancer.'
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