Breakthrough therapy
Hallucinogen psilocybin will be used to treat depression
Sergey Kolenov, Hi-tech+
The American FDA regulator has given this idea the status of a "breakthrough therapy". This means that the issue of approval of therapy with hallucinogens will be considered in a simplified manner – if scientists manage to calculate the optimal dose of the drug.
Clinical trials of the hallucinogen psilocybin isolated from certain types of mushrooms are conducted by Compass Pathways. Experts hope that this substance will give hope to patients with resistant forms of depression. The tests are currently in phase IIb, according to a press release from Johns Hopkins Medicine Reclassification Recommendations for Drug in ‘Magic Mushrooms'.
Article by Johnson et al. The abuse potential of medical psilocybin according to the 8 factors of the Controlled Substances Act is available in the electronic version of the journal Neuropharmacology.
Early studies have shown that one or two doses of psilocybin can significantly reduce depressive syndromes. In addition, the safety of such therapy has been proven.
Now researchers need to determine the optimal dose of the substance. If psilocybin successfully passes the third phase of clinical trials, the FDA will have to change its status in the list of narcotic substances. It is currently considered a Category 1 substance – "addictive and not medically beneficial." This classification seriously limits the possibilities of research.
Scientists are calling on the FDA to transfer psilocybin to a milder category IV. In a recent review article, it was noted that the drug has a number of therapeutic benefits, while the risk of overdose and physical addiction is low. If the clinical trials are successful, and officials listen to the opinion of researchers, then in the coming years psilocybin will become available to scientists and medical professionals.
Diagnosing depression is not always easy. Scientists from the United States suggest using artificial intelligence for this purpose, analyzing posts in social networks. They claim that an analysis of Facebook activity over the past six months can reveal signs of depression before the doctor. In parallel, research on the causes of the disease is also continuing: for example, it is possible that depression may have a viral nature.
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