Magic mushroom compound may rewire Self-Awareness — scientists put it to the test
NCT ID NCT07732166
First seen Jul 28, 2026 · Last updated Jul 29, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This early-phase trial investigates whether psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, can alter self-awareness in healthy adults. One hundred participants will receive either 15 mg of psilocybin or an active placebo (niacin) and complete tasks measuring metacognition and body awareness before, during, and after the experience. Brain activity is tracked using near-infrared spectroscopy. The goal is to understand how psychedelics affect the sense of self, which could inform future therapies for mental health conditions.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- psilocybin, a psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward new ways to treat conditions like depression or anxiety by targeting how people perceive themselves.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small study in healthy volunteers, not patients. Psilocybin can cause intense psychological effects, and the results may not apply to clinical populations.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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.
- Participants
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About 100 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Apr 2026
- Expected to finish
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Dec 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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21 to 60 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: * Minimum age of 21 and maximum age of 60; * Minimum of eight years of schooling; * Fluency in Portuguese; * Agree, one week before the experiment, to abstain from: * Using any herbal supplements (except with prior approval from the researchers); * Using any non-prescribed medication (except non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or paracetamol, provided they have prior approval from the research team); * Using any prescribed medication (except birth control pills, thyroid hormones, or other medications, provided they have prior approval from the research team); * Using recreational psychoactive substances; * Agree to abstain, 24 hours before the experiment, from: * Consuming beverages with high caffeine content (e.g., coffee, mate, cola); * Consuming alcoholic beverages; * Agreeing not to use caffeine or nicotine for two and six hours, respectively, after the experiment; * Agree not to drive a motor vehicle or operate machinery for 24 hours after the experiment; * Be available to be contacted by telephone for all planned stages; * Agree to use effective contraception throughout the study; * Agree to inform researchers of any medical condition or procedure that may arise prior to the experiment; * Agree not to participate in any other interventional clinical trial for the duration of this study. Exclusion Criteria: * History of traumatic brain injury, stroke, epilepsy, neurological disease, or cardiovascular disease; * Evidence or history of coronary or cerebral artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, liver disease with altered liver enzymes, or any other medical condition that the researchers, including the responsible physician, deem to significantly increase the risk of administering any substance; * Pregnant or breastfeeding women, or women who could potentially become pregnant and are not using any effective contraceptive method; * Women who, at the screening stage, do not have a negative pregnancy test. * Having a history of or currently having a primary psychotic disorder, schizophrenia spectrum disorder, bipolar affective disorder (type 1 and 2), dissociative identity disorder, major depressive disorder; * History of psychotic disorders in a first-degree relative; * Have resting blood pressure that does not exceed 140 mmHg (systolic) and 90 mmHg (diastolic) - measured in four assessments on at least two different days; * Have resting blood pressure below 90 mmHg (systolic) and 60 mmHg (diastolic) - measured in four assessments on at least two different days; * Weigh less than 48 kg; * Require therapy with psychiatric medications concurrently with the study; * Have a history of or present with gastrointestinal disease; * Previous use of psilocybin or similar substances; * Frequent use (at least once a month) of any other psychoactive substance in the last year, except for nicotine, caffeine and alcohol; * Have a history of disorders or problems related to the use of psychoactive substances; * Not be able to provide adequate informed consent; * Any other condition that may compromise the results or that represents any risk to the participant, according to the assessment of the research team and the responsible physician.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Centro de Pesquisas Matteo Ricci
RECRUITINGRio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 22451-263, Brazil
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