Predicting the Intensity of Psychedelic-Induced Mystical and Challenging Experience in a Healthy Population: An Exploratory Post-Hoc Analysis

Summary & key facts

Researchers re-analysed data from a first-stage clinical trial where about 90 healthy volunteers were randomly given a fake pill, 10 mg of psilocybin, or 25 mg of psilocybin. They looked for what predicted how strong people’s mystical-type experiences and their hard or challenging experiences were. The clearest finding was that higher dose made both kinds of experience stronger. Older people tended to report fewer challenging experiences, and people who scored higher on neuroticism had more challenging experiences at the higher dose. The study was done after the fact and used healthy volunteers, so the results need careful follow-up before applying them to patients.

Key facts:

• About 90 healthy volunteers took part and were randomly given either a placebo, 10 mg of psilocybin, or 25 mg of psilocybin.
• Higher dose was strongly linked to stronger mystical-type experiences.
• Higher dose was also strongly linked to stronger challenging (difficult) experiences.
• Older age was linked to less intense challenging experiences.
• Personality scores mostly did not predict mystical or challenging experience, with one exception: higher neuroticism was linked to more challenging experience at the higher dose.
• People’s positive or negative mood before the session did not predict how intense their mystical or challenging experiences would be.
• The analysis was done after the main trial (an exploratory, post-hoc look) and only used healthy volunteers, so the findings are preliminary and may not apply to people with depression.

Abstract

Introduction: In psychedelic therapy, mystical as well as challenging experience may influence therapeutic outcome. However, predictors of such experience have not been sufficiently established. Determining predictors of their intensity is, therefore, potentially beneficial in targeting psilocybin therapy for depression. Methods: In a post hoc data analysis of a Phase 1, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-groups clinical trial, dosage, personality traits, affect, and individual data were analysed as possible clinical predictors. Eighty-nine healthy volunteers were randomised to receive a single dose of placebo, 10 mg of psilocybin, or 25 mg of psilocybin. ANOVA was used to analyse the relationship between dosage and mystical and/or challenging experience, and correlation analysis for all other variables. Results: The intensity of both mystical and challenging experience was strongly associated with higher dosage. Age was negatively correlated with intensity of challenging experience. Correlation between identified personality traits and either mystical or challenging experience was minimal, with the exception of positive correlation between neuroticism and challenging experience at higher dose. Neither positive nor negative affect indicated correlation with the intensity of either type of experience. Discussion: A limitation of this study is its post hoc, exploratory design; recommendations for further research are provided.

Topics

Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis Pain Management and Placebo Effect Psychedelics and Drug Studies

Categories

Clinical Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Affect (linguistics) Alternative medicine Analysis of variance Anthropology Big Five personality traits Clinical psychology Communication Environmental health Exploratory research Hallucinogen Internal medicine Medicine Mysticism Neuroticism Pathology Personality Philosophy Placebo Population Post hoc Post-hoc analysis Psilocybin Psychiatry Psychology Psychotherapist Social psychology Sociology Theology

Substances

Psilocybin

Conditions & symptoms

Depression