Magic mushroom compound tested for OCD in small trial
NCT ID NCT05370911
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This early-stage study is testing whether repeated doses of psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, can reduce symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Twenty-eight adults with moderate-to-severe OCD who have not responded to standard treatments will receive two doses of psilocybin. The study uses a waitlist control group and measures changes in OCD severity using a standard rating scale.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- psilocybin (synthetic magic mushroom ingredient)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new treatment option for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder who haven't found relief from standard therapies.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early Phase 1 trial with only 28 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Psilocybin can cause intense psychological effects and is not yet proven safe or effective for OCD.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 1
The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.
- Participants
-
28 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jul 2023
- Expected to finish
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Feb 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Primary DSM-5 diagnosis of OCD, with Y-BOCS-II score of 26 or greater at screening 2. Failed at least one medication and/or therapy trial of standard care treatment for OCD 3. English fluency 4. Agree to sign a medical release for investigators to communicate directly with participants' providers to confirm medication and psychotherapy histories or arrange contingencies in event of crises. 5. Agree to provide an adult contact (relative, spouse, close friend or other caregiver) who is willing and able to be reached by the PI and/or study personnel in the event of an emergency, and who can provide transportation for study visits and independently comment on any changes in the participant's mood or behavior after each administration of psilocybin. 6. Agree to commit to all study procedures. 7. Ability to orally ingest pills for psilocybin dosing visits. 8. Agree to adhere to lifestyle and medication modifications. 9. Must not be on psychotropic medications for OCD or comorbid psychiatric conditions for at least 8 weeks at the time of randomization, and agree to refrain from taking or starting any psychiatric medications until after 4 weeks post-second dose. 10. Must not be in current psychotherapy (CBT or ERP) and must not start new course of psychotherapy (CBT or ERP) for OCD or comorbid psychiatric conditions until after 4 weeks post-second dose. 11. If participant is of childbearing potential, must have a negative pregnancy test at study entry and prior to each dosing session. 12. If participant is of childbearing potential, agree to use adequate birth control and not attempt to become pregnant during study up to 4 weeks post-second dose. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Personal or immediate (first-degree relative) family history of formally diagnosed schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, or bipolar I/II disorder 2. Lack of knowledge about biological families' medical history, due to adoption or other circumstance 3. Active suicidal intent or suicidal or non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors 4. Unremitted Tourette syndrome 5. Lifetime diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder 6. Current substance use disorder (except for mild alcohol use disorder) 7. Any neurological condition, including history of seizure(s) or chronic/severe headaches 8. Any history of head injury with loss of consciousness for more than 30 min 9. Any use of classic psychedelic substances within the prior 12 months 10. Unwillingness to abstain from use of classic psychedelics outside of the study up to 4 weeks post-second dose. 11. Use of tobacco products or a THC-containing product more than 2 times per week on average over the past 30 days at screening. 12. Unwilingness or inability to abstain from use of tobacco or THC-containing products from 1 week prior to randomization up to 4 weeks post-second dose. 13. Positive urine drug test for any prohibited substance at screening or days of dosing, or positive breathalyzer test for alcohol on days of dosing 14. Unwillingness or inability to abstain from alcohol use at least 24 hours prior to the days of dosing, up to 24 hours after each dosing day (or corresponding intervals for waitlist group). 15. Any medical conditions that may render study procedures unsafe, including hypertension, history of cardiovascular disease, moderate-to-severe hepatic or renal impairment, diabetes, and hypo- or hyperthyroidism.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Enact Research Collaborative (40 Temple St, 4th Floor)
New Haven, Connecticut, 06510, United States
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Yale Program for Psychedelic Research
New Haven, Connecticut, 06510, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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