Review of the realistic benefits and expectations of psilocybin for treating depression

Early studies suggest psilocybin may help treat depression, but careful expectations are needed.

• Psilocybin treatment shows promise for depression but may be influenced by expectation bias.
• Some patients could experience side effects or even harm, which are often not well documented.
• Research on ketamine for treatment-resistant depression presents similar issues but has stronger positive evidence.
• The current evidence does not support broader use of psilocybin for depression treatment at this time.

Simplified