Psilocybin and Mental Health Outcomes: Scoping Review with ☸️SAIMSARA

Name: SAIMSARA Evidence Object mental::PSILOCYBIN_PM
Creator: SAIMSARA
License: https://saimsara.com/license/

SAIMSARA

doi:10.62487/saimsara7a54f680

SAIMSARA Journal

Machine-Readable Science • ISSN 3054-3991

Psilocybin and Mental Health Outcomes: Scoping Review with ☸️SAIMSARA

Mental & Neurological Health

Issue 4, Volume 1, 2026

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DOI: 10.62487/saimsara7a54f680

Editorial note

• Last update: 2026-06-15 08:40:02

What is this paper about

Psilocybin shows its strongest evidence in rapid and sustained reductions of depressive symptoms, with emerging signals across anxiety, PTSD, addiction, and existential distress. The full review reveals where the benefits are most convincing, which safety and equity concerns remain unresolved, and how close psilocybin-assisted therapy is to broader clinical use.

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Abstract: This scoping review aims to comprehensively map and synthesize the breadth of evidence from original research on the relationship between psilocybin and health, spanning clinical trials, epidemiological surveys, mechanistic experiments, and cross-sectional attitudinal studies. The review uses 145 references and builds its evidence map from 216 original studies with 271241797 total participants/sample observations (topic-deduplicated ΣN). This review indicates that the most consistent and replicated signal for psilocybin and health is rapid, large, and sustained reduction of depressive symptoms in clinical populations, with a randomized, waiting-list–controlled major depressive disorder (MDD) trial reporting Cohen's d=2.5 at week 5 and benefits in treatment-resistant depression persisting up to 6 months. Converging evidence suggests broader therapeutic potential for anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and existential distress, alongside preliminary signals for substance use disorders, though risks such as manic or psychotic episodes in vulnerable individuals warrant rigorous screening. A recurring caveat is that real-world benefits and access are moderated by race and ethnicity, with protective associations and program participation concentrated among White participants. These findings support a cautiously optimistic but equity-conscious role for psilocybin-assisted therapy in psychiatric and palliative care. Future work should prioritize controlled, prospective trials that test mechanisms and confirm durability while embedding culturally adapted, equitable access strategies.
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Keywords: psilocybin therapy; major depressive disorder; treatment-resistant depression; psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy; mental health outcomes; psilocybin biosynthesis; clinician attitudes; microdosing effects; post-traumatic stress disorder; substance misuse reduction

Review Stats

Final search date and database lock: 2026-06-03 13:51:14 CEST
Plan: Pro (expanded craft tokens; source: PubMed)
Source: PubMed
Total Abstracts/Papers: 575
Downloaded Abstracts/Papers: 575
Included original and non-original Abstracts/Papers (all): 467
Included original Abstracts/Papers (Vote counting by direction of effect): 215
Reference Index (links used in paper): 145
Total participants/sample observations (topic deduplicated ΣN): 271241797

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Reference Index (145)

[1] Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial. — https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.3285
[2] Mushrooms, Microdosing, and Mental Illness: The Effect of Psilocybin on Neurotransmitters, Neuroinflammation, and Neuroplasticity. — https://doi.org/10.2147/ndt.s500337
[3] Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up. — https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-017-4771-x
[4] The Neurocircuitry of Substance Use Disorder, Treatment, and Change: A Resource for Clinical Psychiatrists. — https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.20231023
[5] Psilocybin Therapy for Clinicians With Symptoms of Depression From Frontline Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Clinical Trial. — https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.49026
[6] Psilocybin in late-life mental health: Addressing depression, loneliness, and existential anxiety. — https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2025.12.005
[7] Psilocybin-assisted therapy and HIV-related shame. — https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-68908-4
[8] Psilocybin microdosers demonstrate greater observed improvements in mood and mental health at one month relative to non-microdosing controls. — https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-14512-3

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