Scientists have been studying the effects of the compound in magic mushrooms on depression for years.
More evidence of the link has arrived with a phase 2, double-blind trial involving 233 participants, the largest study on this subject carried out so far.
The volunteers all had treatment-resistant depression, which means at least two antidepressants haven't worked to cure it.
The trials were conducted over a period of 12 weeks in Europe and North America.
The participants were divided into three groups. One group received a single dose of a synthetic form of the hallucinogen, modeled on the compound found in magic mushrooms, while a second group received 10 and the last group received one dose. The volunteers didn't know which dose they got.
"This study, which is by far the largest clinical trial on the use of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression to date, demonstrated that a single 25mg dose of psilocybin reduces the severity of participants' symptoms in comparison to a 1mg control dose," says James
There was no significant difference between the two groups.
It wasn't all positive. In the three months after the drug was taken, 84 percent of volunteers reported side effects such as headaches, nausea, and dizziness, while a handful experienced more severe adverse effects, including two reports of self- harm and two of suicide.
Fewer participants in the other two groups said they had the same experience, with more saying they had less severe effects. The more severe side effects were only experienced by a small percentage of people.
The researchers are confident that the progress of the subjects was positive despite the side effects.
The participants were given the drug in dedicated rooms that were designed to put them at ease and a therapist was present until the effects wore off.
The symptoms of depression in the people involved in the trial were assessed using the Montgomery-sberg Depression Rating Scale. Mood, tension, sleep and appetite are covered by the questions.
The findings are a positive step forward. In larger trials with more participants, we will compare the placebo and established treatments for treatment- resistant depression.
The phase 3 trial will compare the effectiveness of the drug against other treatments. That should tell us if the compound is ready for use.
It's not clear how the hallucinogenic properties of psilocybin affect brain connections. Studies have shown that the compound can be used to treat alcohol addiction.
Guidelines for therapists to help them manage the initial effects of the drug have been drawn up from the study.
"As part of the training program, a therapy manual was developed to enable the standardization of the psychological support across sites and therapists around the world," says psychologist Nadav Liam Modlin.
The research was published in a journal.
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