‘Magic mushroom’ treatment for depression

MAYBE there is new hope for people suffering from severe depression. The findings of a three-month study were recently published in

and involved 12 patients of whom nine were severely depressed and the others moderately.

One of these patients had been suffering from depression for more than 30 years. All the patients had had at least two different treatments for depression in the past (which did not work) and one of them had tried 11 different treatments.

The study, at Imperial College London, initially gave patients a low dose of psilocybin, the hallucinogenic chemical in magic mushrooms, to test for safety. They were then given a very high dose, equivalent to “a lot of mushrooms”, the researchers said.

The psychedelic experience lasted up to six hours, peaking after the first two, and was accompanied by classical music and followed by psycho- logical support.

Most patients had a rapid dip in their depressive symptoms, with predictable side-effects including anxiety, nausea and headaches. This improvement lasted for three months.

Researcher Prof David Nutt (yep, Nutt) says the drug “lubricates the mind” which causes the patient to get out of the negative, self-critical state of depression. It is believed the mushrooms target the receptors in the brain that respond to the hormone serotonin, the “happy” hormone. The study has definite shortcomings since only a small group of people were involved and there was no placebo group.

According to BBC News, Prof Philip Cowen, of Oxford University said, "The key observation that might eventually justify the use of a drug like psilocybin in treatment-resistant depression is demonstration of sustained benefit in patients who previously have experienced years of symptoms despite conventional treatments, which makes longer-term outcomes particularly important.”

Our readers must keep in mind that “magic mushrooms” are illegal and their use without medical supervision would be downright stupid.