Microdose mushroom study for despair fails to launch
NCT ID NCT05227742
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study planned to test very low doses of psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) in adults with moderate to severe demoralization—feelings of hopelessness and meaninglessness often linked to illness or hardship. The goal was to see if these microdoses could improve mood and thinking without causing hallucinations. However, the study was withdrawn before enrolling any participants, so no results are available.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Early phase 1
The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.
- Started
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Aug 2023
- Expected to finish
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Mar 2026
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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25 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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. Ability to read and write in English 2. Between 25 and 65 years old 3. Demoralization Scale-II (DS-II) score of \> 8 4. No prior hallucinogen use or it would have been 3 years since the last use of a hallucinogen 5. Availability of a friend, family member, or other form of transportation (e.g., Uber) to drive participants home after their drug administration sessions 6. In good general health as assessed by detailed medical history interview and physical examination Exclusion Criteria: 1. 24 years of age or younger; 66 years of age or older 2. Women who are pregnant (pregnancy status confirmed via urine pregnancy test) or breastfeeding 3. Current hypertension (exceeding 140 systolic and/or 90 diastolic at resting) 4. Use of methylphenidate or other medications for ADHD, benzodiazepines or other medications for anxiety (e.g., beta-blockers), tricyclic antidepressants, MAOIs, SSRIs, SNRIs or other medications for depression, lithium or other mood stabilizers, haloperidol or other antipsychotic medications, any medications or supplements with serotonin activity (e.g., St. John's Wort), or any other pharmacologic or biologic agent used to treat depression or anxiety (e.g., magnesium, cannabis) 5. Personal or family history (first or second degree relatives) of psychotic or bipolar I or II disorders 6. Any suicidal ideation of type 4 or type 5 on the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) in the 3 months prior to screening (i.e., active suicidal thought with method and intent but without a specific plan, or active suicidal thought with method, intent and plan). 7. History of head trauma, loss of consciousness, or neurological disease 8. Receiving treatment within the past 30 days for depression, anxiety, or substance use disorder 9. Participation within the past 30 days in a clinical trial for the treatment of depression, anxiety, or substance use disorder 10. Any current substance use disorder diagnosis (substance abstinence confirmed via urine drug screen) 11. History of immoderate alcohol consumption within the past 3 months per NIAAA definitions: more than 4 drinks per day or 14 drinks per week for men; more than 3 drinks per day or 7 drinks per week for women 12. Any headache disorder (i.e., migraine, tension-type headache, or cluster headache) in the past year 13. Planning to move from the Birmingham area in the next 3 months
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Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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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University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, 35209, United States
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