What is it about?
We tested two types of therapy for depression: psychedelic therapy with psilocybin and a standard anti-depressant medication (escitalopram). Both were good anti-depressants, but we found that the escitalopram group had reduced responses to emotional stimuli.
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Why is it important?
We think this shows that psilocybin therapy and standard anti-depressants have very different brain mechanisms, and produce their anti-depressant effects in different ways.
Perspectives
We hope this article helps make the case for why psychedelic-based therapies should be more widely available, as it shows that they are effective anti-depressants, and preserve emotional function.
Matthew Wall
Imperial College London
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Reduced Brain Responsiveness to Emotional Stimuli With Escitalopram But Not Psilocybin Therapy for Depression, American Journal of Psychiatry, May 2025, American Psychiatric Association,
DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20230751.
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