Research library / Clinical trial
Psilocybin-assisted treatment for alcohol dependence: a proof-of-concept study
Bogenschutz MP, Forcehimes AA, Pommy JA, et al. Journal of Psychopharmacology 2015;29(3):289-99
This small pilot study tested whether psilocybin could be studied as a treatment for alcohol dependence. Ten people with alcohol dependence received talking therapy aimed at building motivation to change, plus one or two supervised psilocybin sessions with preparation and debriefing. Their drinking did not change much in the first four weeks, before any psilocybin, but abstinence rose significantly after the first dose and largely held up to 36 weeks. Those who had the most intense experience in their first session tended to cut their drinking the most and reported less craving. There were no significant treatment-related adverse events. Without a control group and with only ten participants, the authors present this as a reason to run larger controlled trials, not as proof that psilocybin works.
What it found
- Abstinence did not increase significantly in the first 4 weeks before psilocybin, but increased significantly after it (p<0.05)
- Gains were largely maintained through 36 weeks of follow-up
- Intensity of the first session's effects strongly predicted drinking change in weeks 5-8 (r=0.76 to 0.89)
- No significant treatment-related adverse events