Magic mushroom compound tested for Alzheimer's depression
NCT ID NCT04123314
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Sep 04, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study is testing whether psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, can safely help depression in people with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer's disease. Twenty participants will receive one or two doses under supportive conditions. Researchers will measure changes in depression symptoms and quality of life over the study period.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- psilocybin
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new way to ease depression and improve quality of life for people with early Alzheimer's or mild cognitive impairment.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early-phase pilot study with only 20 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Psilocybin can cause intense psychological effects and is not yet proven safe or effective for this group.
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
-
Early phase 1
The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.
- Participants
-
About 20 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Mar 2021
- Expected to finish
-
Sep 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
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
-
18 to 85 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
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: * Must meet either A) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (DSM-5) criteria for Mild Neurocognitive Disorder due to AD or Major Neurocognitive Disorder due to AD with Mild severity (including probable), or B) meet criteria for MCI including a subjective memory complaint relative to previous functioning and confirmed by Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) Memory score at screening of \>0.5 * Have Mini-Mental State Examination scores \>18 * Have a Montreal Cognitive Assessment score \<26. * Have Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) patient score \>/= 6, or Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form score ≥ 5, indicating at minimum a mild to moderate degree of distress. * Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are allowed so long as the dose has been stable for \> 6 weeks. * Concurrent pharmacotherapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI), and/or bupropion is allowed if the type and frequency of the therapy has been stable for at least two months prior to screening. Allowable bupropion doses for participants will be ≤300mg/day. * Have a close friend or family member willing and able to serve the role of community observer / informant for data collection procedures Exclusion Criteria: * Individuals 86 years of age or older will be excluded. * Currently taking antipsychotics, monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, or antidepressant medications other than SSRIs, SNRIs, or bupropion. Allowable bupropion doses for participants will be ≤300mg/day. * Long-acting opioid pain medications (e.g. oxycodone sustained release, morphine sustained release - which are usually taken at 12 hour intervals) will be allowed if the last dose occurred at least 2 hours before psilocybin administration and the next dose was not scheduled until at least 8 hours after psilocybin administration. * Participants must agree not to take sildenafil, tadalafil, or similar medications within 72 hours of each psilocybin administration, as these medications may potentiate hypotensive reactions to psilocybin * Cardiovascular conditions: angina, a clinically significant ECG abnormality (e.g. atrial fibrillation or heart-rate corrected QT interval (QTc) \>450msec), Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) in the last 6 months, stroke, artificial heart valves, or uncontrolled hypertension with resting blood pressure systolic \>150 or diastolic \>95 * Minimum acceptable heartrate at screening is 50 bpm unless the individual is cleared for participation by a cardiologist, in accord with the American College of Cardiology's 2018 guidelines for bradycardia * Seizure disorder * Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus * Renal disease (creatinine clearance \< 40 ml/min using the Cockcroft and Gault equation) * Baseline liver enzyme elevation \>2x the upper limit of normal * Current or past history of meeting DSM-5 criteria for Schizophrenia, Psychotic Disorder (unless substance-induced or due to a medical condition), or Bipolar I Disorder * Family (i.e., 1st degree relative) history of Schizophrenia, Psychotic Disorder (unless substance-induced or due to a medical condition), or Bipolar I Disorder * Past-year hallucinogen use.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Alzheimer disease are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
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
-
Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research
RECRUITINGBaltimore, Maryland, 21224, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can a massive data registry crack the code of Parkinson's and related brain diseases?
- Reading the Brain's signals to predict who benefits from deep brain stimulation
- Can a gentle electric current calm the mind in Alzheimer's?
- Alzheimer's vaccine aims to clear amyloid before memory fades
- Blood, eye, and brain scans team up to spot Alzheimer's earlier
- Can a phone app that blocks distracting apps ease depression?