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This was an open-label feasibility study designed to test whether the drug psilocybin could be safely given to selected patients with depression, alongside psychological support.Įveryone in the study took the drug, meaning there was no comparison group and everyone knew that they were taking the drug. However, both The Guardian and The Independent give a more measured account of the study and its limitations. The Daily Mail was also overenthusiastic in its reporting, saying that "Hundreds of thousands of people could benefit from antidepressants derived from magic mushrooms", despite the limited nature of the study.
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The distinguished 65-year-old psychiatrist may be a little put out (or possibly amused) by this. The Sun also used a stock photo of a classic twentysomething cheesy raver with the caption: "Professor Nutt, who worked on the study, was previously sacked as the Government's chief drug adviser in 2009".
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Their headline, "Magic mushrooms make you a fun guy", manages to both trivialise the life-limiting and often horrible impact severe depression can have, while simplifying the complex results of this study. While overall the UK media reporting was accurate, The Sun newspaper wins the most inappropriate headline of the month award (and is currently a leading contender for 2016). The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal The Lancet: Psychiatry on an open-access basis, so it's free to read online. It was funded by the Medical Research Council. The study was carried out by researchers from Imperial College London, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, King's College London, University College London, the Royal London Hospital, and the Beckley Foundation. Aside from their unpredictable effects, magic mushrooms are class A drugs that are illegal to possess – which can carry a seven-year jail sentence – or distribute, which can result in up to life imprisonment. The researchers warn that people should not try to treat themselves with mushrooms that contain psilocybin. Eight of them had no symptoms of depression one week after treatment, and five were free from depression after three months.īut because of the type of study this is and its small size, we can't be sure if these results are the result of psilocybin. They found the 12 volunteers tolerated the drug, with minor side effects that did not last long. The researchers also wanted to get an initial impression of its effects. The intention was to monitor the "intensity" of the experience, as reported by the volunteers, to see if it was feasible to use psilocybin to treat people with severe depression. As this drug is controlled in the UK, permission from the Home Office was needed for the study, and the participants were closely monitored by psychiatrists. Researchers gave two doses of psilocybin to 12 volunteers, all of whom had moderate or severe depression that had not responded to other treatment. Magic mushrooms is an umbrella term for fungi that contain psilocybin, a psychoactive substance that can cause intense LSD-like hallucinations, as well as reported feelings of euphoria and "spiritual insight". "Magic mushrooms 'promising' in depression," BBC News reports.