Table 1.
Characteristics of included studies
| Study, year, reference | Design | Depression type | No of participants | Psilocybin intervention | Control condition | Mean (SD) age (years) | % (No/total No) | Primary outcome or measure of interest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female participants | Past use of psychedelics | ||||||||
| Carhart-Harris et al 202163 | Double blind RCT | Primary | 59 | 2 high doses (25 mg) of psilocybin and daily placebo, along with psychological support | 2 placebo-like doses of psilocybin (1 mg) and escitalopram, along with psychological support | 41.2 (10.7) | 34 (20/59) | 27.1 (16/52) | QIDS (change from baseline at 6 weeks), patient reported |
| Barba et al 202264 | Further analysis of Carhart-Harris et al, 2021 | Primary | 59 | 2 high doses (25 mg) of psilocybin and daily placebo, along with psychological support | 2 placebo-like doses of psilocybin (1 mg) and escitalopram, along with psychological support | 41.2 (10.7) | 34 (20/59) | 27.1 (16/52) | RRS for rumination |
| Goodwin et al 202218 | Double blind RCT | Primary | 233 | Moderate dose (10 mg) or high dose (25 mg) of psilocybin and psychological support | Placebo-like dose of psilocybin (1 mg) and psychological support | 39.8 (12.2) | 52 (121/233) | 6.0 (14/233) | MADRS (change from baseline at 3 weeks), clinician assessed |
| Goodwin et al 202365 | Double blind RCT (further analysis of Goodwin et al, 2023) | Primary | 233 | Moderate dose (10 mg) or high dose (25 mg) of psilocybin and psychological support | Placebo-like dose of psilocybin (1 mg) and psychological support | 39.8 (12.2) | 52 (121/233) | 6.0 (14/233) | QIDS (change from baseline at 3 weeks), patient reported |
| von Rotz et al 202366 | Double blind RCT | Primary | 52 | 0.215 mg/kg psilocybin and psychological support | Placebo and psychological support | 36.8 (10.4) | 64 (33/52) | 30.8 (16/52) | MADRS (change from baseline at 2 weeks), clinician assessed |
| Grob et al 201115 | Randomised, double blind, crossover trial | Secondary (patients with life threatening illness) | 12 | Moderate dose (0.2 mg/kg) of psilocybin | Placebo, niacin (250 mg) | 36-58 (mean not given) | 92 (11/12) | 66.7 (8/12) | BDI (change from baseline at 2 weeks), patient reported |
| Griffiths et al 201614 | Randomised, double blind, crossover trial | Secondary (patients with life threatening illness) | 51 | High dose (22 mg/70 kg or 30 mg/70 kg) of psilocybin | Very low (placebo-like) psilocybin dose (1 mg or 3 mg/70 kg) | 56.3 (1.4) | 49 (25/51) | 45.0 (23/51) | BDI (change from baseline at 5 weeks), patient reported |
| Ross et al 201617 | Double blind, placebo controlled, crossover trial | Secondary (patients with life threatening illness) | 29 | Single dose psilocybin (0.3 mg/kg) and psychotherapy | Placebo, niacin (250 mg), and psychotherapy | 56.28 (12.9) | 62 (18/29) | 55.2 (16/29) | BDI (change from baseline at 2 and 6 weeks), patient reported |
| Ross et al 202167 | Secondary analysis of Ross et al 2016 | Secondary (patients with life threatening illness) | 11 | Single dose psilocybin (0.3 mg/kg) and psychotherapy | Placebo, niacin (250 mg), and psychotherapy | 60.3 (7.1) | 7/11 | 4/11 | Demoralisation scale |
BDI=Beck depression inventory; MADRS=Montgomery-Åsberg depression rating scale; QIDS=quick inventory of depressive symptomatology, RRS=ruminative response scale; RCT=randomised controlled trial; SD=standard deviation.