The emerging role of psilocybin and MDMA in the treatment of mental illness.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

Mental illness has a chronic course of illness with a number of clinical manifestations. Affected individuals experience significant functional, emotional, cognitive, and/or behavioral impairments. The growing prevalence of mental illness has been associated with significant social and economic costs. Indeed, the economic burden of mental illness is estimated to exceed $1.8 trillion USD over the next 30 years. A significant number of individuals affected by mental illness fail to respond to first-line treatment options. Therefore, there remains an unmet need for rapidly attenuating therapeutic options for mental health disorders with minimal social and economic burden.

AREAS COVERED:

The paucity of novel treatment options warrants a renewed investigation of psychedelic-based psychotherapy. Herein, the authors will evaluate the therapeutic potential of traditional psychedelics, psilocybin, and MDMA, in the treatment of mental illness with a narrative review of available literature.

EXPERT OPINION:

Psychedelics, such as psilocybin and MDMA, offer an alternative avenue of therapy for many mental health disorders. Available evidence indicates that psychedelics may offer a single-dose, rapid effect model that have robust effects with treatment-resistant mental disorders and a unique advantage as a possible monotherapy for mental illness. Novel clinical trials that evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy in clinically representative populations are warranted.

• Authors: Hartej Gill, Barjot Gill, David Chen-Li, Sabine El-Halabi, Nelson B Rodrigues, Danielle S Cha, Orly Lipsitz, Yena Lee, Joshua Daniel Rosenblat, Amna Majeed, Rodrigo B Mansur, Flora Nasri, Roger Ho, Roger S McIntyre
• Journal: Expert review of neurotherapeutics (Expert Rev Neurother) Vol. 20 Issue 12 Pg. 1263-1273 (12 2020) ISSN: 1744-8360 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 32954860 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Chemical References

• Hallucinogens
• Psilocybin
• N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine

Topics

• Hallucinogens (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Mental Disorders (drug therapy)
• N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (therapeutic use)
• Psilocybin (therapeutic use)