Antidepressant effects of a psychedelic experience in a large prospective naturalistic sample

Research output: Contribution to journalReviewpeer-review

Standard

Antidepressant effects of a psychedelic experience in a large prospective naturalistic sample. / Nygart, Victoria Amalie; Pommerencke, Lis Marie; Haijen, Eline; Kettner, Hannes; Kaelen, Mendel; Mortensen, Erik Lykke; Nutt, David John; Carhart-Harris, Robin Lester; Erritzoe, David.

In: Journal of Psychopharmacology, Vol. 36, No. 8, 2022, p. 932-942.

Research output: Contribution to journalReviewpeer-review

Harvard

Nygart, VA, Pommerencke, LM, Haijen, E, Kettner, H, Kaelen, M, Mortensen, EL, Nutt, DJ, Carhart-Harris, RL & Erritzoe, D 2022, 'Antidepressant effects of a psychedelic experience in a large prospective naturalistic sample', Journal of Psychopharmacology, vol. 36, no. 8, pp. 932-942. https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811221101061

APA

Nygart, V. A., Pommerencke, L. M., Haijen, E., Kettner, H., Kaelen, M., Mortensen, E. L., Nutt, D. J., Carhart-Harris, R. L., & Erritzoe, D. (2022). Antidepressant effects of a psychedelic experience in a large prospective naturalistic sample. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 36(8), 932-942. https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811221101061

Vancouver

Nygart VA, Pommerencke LM, Haijen E, Kettner H, Kaelen M, Mortensen EL et al. Antidepressant effects of a psychedelic experience in a large prospective naturalistic sample. Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2022;36(8):932-942. https://doi.org/10.1177/02698811221101061

Author

Nygart, Victoria Amalie ; Pommerencke, Lis Marie ; Haijen, Eline ; Kettner, Hannes ; Kaelen, Mendel ; Mortensen, Erik Lykke ; Nutt, David John ; Carhart-Harris, Robin Lester ; Erritzoe, David. / Antidepressant effects of a psychedelic experience in a large prospective naturalistic sample. In: Journal of Psychopharmacology. 2022 ; Vol. 36, No. 8. pp. 932-942.

Bibtex

@article{eea76c5b635648fd92237afa7637e593,
title = "Antidepressant effects of a psychedelic experience in a large prospective naturalistic sample",
abstract = "Background: Over the last two decades, a number of studies have highlighted the potential of psychedelic therapy. However, questions remain to what extend these results translate to naturalistic samples, and how contextual factors and the acute psychedelic experience relate to improvements in affective symptoms following psychedelic experiences outside labs/clinics. The present study sought to address this knowledge gap. Aim: Here, we aimed to investigate changes in anxiety and depression scores before versus after psychedelic experiences in naturalistic contexts, and how various pharmacological, extrapharmacological and experience factors related to outcomes. Method: Individuals who planned to undergo a psychedelic experience were enrolled in this online survey study. Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and 2 and 4 weeks post-psychedelic experience, with self-rated Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR-16) as the primary outcome. To facilitate clinical translation, only participants with depressive symptoms at baseline were included. Sample sizes for the four time points were N = 302, N = 182, N = 155 and N = 109, respectively. Results: Relative to baseline, reductions in depressive symptoms were observed at 2 and 4 weeks. A medicinal motive, previous psychedelic use, drug dose and the type of acute psychedelic experience (i.e. specifically, having an emotional breakthrough) were all significantly associated with changes in self-rated QIDS-SR-16. Conclusion: These results lend support to therapeutic potential of psychedelics and highlight the influence of pharmacological and non-pharmacological factors in determining response. Mindful of a potential sample and attrition bias, further controlled and observational longitudinal studies are needed to test the replicability of these findings.",
keywords = "Psychedelics, psilocybin, depression, anxiety, mystical experience, 16-ITEM QUICK INVENTORY, LIFE-THREATENING CANCER, DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMATOLOGY, CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES, RECURRENT DEPRESSION, PSILOCYBIN TREATMENT, DOUBLE-BLIND, ANXIETY, LSD, QUESTIONNAIRE",
author = "Nygart, {Victoria Amalie} and Pommerencke, {Lis Marie} and Eline Haijen and Hannes Kettner and Mendel Kaelen and Mortensen, {Erik Lykke} and Nutt, {David John} and Carhart-Harris, {Robin Lester} and David Erritzoe",
year = "2022",
doi = "10.1177/02698811221101061",
language = "English",
volume = "36",
pages = "932--942",
journal = "Journal of Psychopharmacology",
issn = "0269-8811",
publisher = "SAGE Publications",
number = "8",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Antidepressant effects of a psychedelic experience in a large prospective naturalistic sample

AU - Nygart, Victoria Amalie

AU - Pommerencke, Lis Marie

AU - Haijen, Eline

AU - Kettner, Hannes

AU - Kaelen, Mendel

AU - Mortensen, Erik Lykke

AU - Nutt, David John

AU - Carhart-Harris, Robin Lester

AU - Erritzoe, David

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - Background: Over the last two decades, a number of studies have highlighted the potential of psychedelic therapy. However, questions remain to what extend these results translate to naturalistic samples, and how contextual factors and the acute psychedelic experience relate to improvements in affective symptoms following psychedelic experiences outside labs/clinics. The present study sought to address this knowledge gap. Aim: Here, we aimed to investigate changes in anxiety and depression scores before versus after psychedelic experiences in naturalistic contexts, and how various pharmacological, extrapharmacological and experience factors related to outcomes. Method: Individuals who planned to undergo a psychedelic experience were enrolled in this online survey study. Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and 2 and 4 weeks post-psychedelic experience, with self-rated Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR-16) as the primary outcome. To facilitate clinical translation, only participants with depressive symptoms at baseline were included. Sample sizes for the four time points were N = 302, N = 182, N = 155 and N = 109, respectively. Results: Relative to baseline, reductions in depressive symptoms were observed at 2 and 4 weeks. A medicinal motive, previous psychedelic use, drug dose and the type of acute psychedelic experience (i.e. specifically, having an emotional breakthrough) were all significantly associated with changes in self-rated QIDS-SR-16. Conclusion: These results lend support to therapeutic potential of psychedelics and highlight the influence of pharmacological and non-pharmacological factors in determining response. Mindful of a potential sample and attrition bias, further controlled and observational longitudinal studies are needed to test the replicability of these findings.

AB - Background: Over the last two decades, a number of studies have highlighted the potential of psychedelic therapy. However, questions remain to what extend these results translate to naturalistic samples, and how contextual factors and the acute psychedelic experience relate to improvements in affective symptoms following psychedelic experiences outside labs/clinics. The present study sought to address this knowledge gap. Aim: Here, we aimed to investigate changes in anxiety and depression scores before versus after psychedelic experiences in naturalistic contexts, and how various pharmacological, extrapharmacological and experience factors related to outcomes. Method: Individuals who planned to undergo a psychedelic experience were enrolled in this online survey study. Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and 2 and 4 weeks post-psychedelic experience, with self-rated Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR-16) as the primary outcome. To facilitate clinical translation, only participants with depressive symptoms at baseline were included. Sample sizes for the four time points were N = 302, N = 182, N = 155 and N = 109, respectively. Results: Relative to baseline, reductions in depressive symptoms were observed at 2 and 4 weeks. A medicinal motive, previous psychedelic use, drug dose and the type of acute psychedelic experience (i.e. specifically, having an emotional breakthrough) were all significantly associated with changes in self-rated QIDS-SR-16. Conclusion: These results lend support to therapeutic potential of psychedelics and highlight the influence of pharmacological and non-pharmacological factors in determining response. Mindful of a potential sample and attrition bias, further controlled and observational longitudinal studies are needed to test the replicability of these findings.

KW - Psychedelics

KW - psilocybin

KW - depression

KW - anxiety

KW - mystical experience

KW - 16-ITEM QUICK INVENTORY

KW - LIFE-THREATENING CANCER

KW - DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMATOLOGY

KW - CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES

KW - RECURRENT DEPRESSION

KW - PSILOCYBIN TREATMENT

KW - DOUBLE-BLIND

KW - ANXIETY

KW - LSD

KW - QUESTIONNAIRE

U2 - 10.1177/02698811221101061

DO - 10.1177/02698811221101061

M3 - Review

C2 - 35924888

VL - 36

SP - 932

EP - 942

JO - Journal of Psychopharmacology

JF - Journal of Psychopharmacology

SN - 0269-8811

IS - 8

ER -

ID: 317587087