Introduction: There has been increasing interest in the role psilocybin may play in the treatment of depressive disorders. Several clinical trials have shown psilocybin to have efficacy in reducing symptoms of depression.
Areascovered: We discuss the current understanding of psilocybin's therapeutic mechanism of action and review existing clinical data investigating psilocybin as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of depression.
Expert opinion: There is still much unknown regarding the risks of psilocybin treatment. When weighing the known risks and benefits of psilocybin treatment against those found in existing standards of care, among patients with depression, patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) may be the most suitable candidates for psilocybin treatment at this time.
Keywords: Major depressive disorder; depression in chronic illness; psilocybin, psychedelics; psychedelic-assisted therapy; treatment-resistant depression.