India, June 30 -- A new study has found that a single dose of psilocybin, a natural psychedelic found in certain mushrooms, may help reduce depression and anxiety in cancer patients.
The study, published in the journal CANCER, included 28 patients who had both cancer and major depression. Each person was given one 25 mg dose of psilocybin, along with support from a therapist before, during, and after the treatment.
Two years later, more than half of the patients (about 54 percent) still had a noticeable drop in their depression symptoms. Half of them (50 percent) also showed long-term improvement or full remission. Around 43 percent of the patients had reduced anxiety as well.
Researchers are now running a larger study to test whether on...