Each month our editorial team sifts through hundreds of papers and curates notable findings—for practitioners and informed readers who want to stay current with the evidence. Subscribe to the monthly Research Digest for expert analysis and concise summaries of key papers.
Research on using psilocybin for PTSD is still early. Some studies and reviews say psilocybin looks promising for mental health in general, but there are only a few small trials that tested psilocybin in people with trauma-related problems. The strongest, well‑controlled evidence for PTSD so far comes from MDMA-assisted therapy, not psilocybin. Scientists agree that psilocybin is usually given together with careful psychotherapy and medical checks. Trials report short-term benefits in some people and generally acceptable safety when the drug is given in a controlled setting. However, big questions remain about long-term effects, who benefits, and exactly how the drug works, so larger and more diverse studies are needed.
Researchers pooled results from 29 human studies that measured blood levels of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, after people received so-called psychoplastogen drugs such as ketamine or psychedelics. They found no clear change in blood BDNF after these drugs. The authors say this does not prove the…
