The research, published last month in the journal Scientific Reports, followed for about 30 days 953 people who took very small amounts of psilocybin and another group of 180 people who did not microdos. The scientists, including those from the University of British Columbia in Canada, found that microdosing showed greater improvements in mood, mental health and mind-body coordination over the course of one month, compared to non-microdosing peers who completed the same ratings. “This is the largest longitudinal study of its kind to date on microdosing psilocybin and one of the few studies to have included a control group,” co-author Zach Walsh said in a statement. “Our findings of improved mood and reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress add to the growing debate about the therapeutic potential of microdosing,” said Dr. Walsh. In the study, participants were asked to complete a number of assessments during the 30-day study period that covered mental health symptomatology, mood and cognitive measures. The study also incorporated a smartphone finger test to measure psychomotor ability, which can be used as a marker for neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s disease. “This paper analyzes psilocybin microdosers demonstrating greater observed improvements in mood and mental health at one month than non-microdosing controls. These interesting results may help design human clinical trials,” co-author Paul Stamets tweeted. Psychedelic psilocybin mushrooms, which have a long history of use in some indigenous communities, were designated as an illegal substance during America’s “war on drugs,” but researchers say recent interest in their use has extended to potential therapeutic application. smaller microdoses. Scientists say that such microdoses are so small that they interfere little with daily functioning. Doses, they say, can be as little as 0.1 to 0.3 grams of dried mushrooms, which can be taken three to five times a week. Researchers say psilocybin mushrooms are considered non-addictive and relatively non-toxic compared to tobacco, opioids and alcohol. “Our findings of improvements in mood and mental health associated with microdosing psilocybin align with and add to previous studies of psychedelic microdosing through the use of a longitudinal study design and a large sample that allowed us to examine the consistency of effects across age, gender and mental health,” said Joseph Rootman, another co-author of the study. However, the scientists also add that further research is needed to “more firmly establish” the nature of the relationship between microdosing, mood and mental health, and the extent to which these effects are directly attributable to psilocybin. Because of the “enormous” cost and pervasiveness of depression and anxiety, as well as the large number of patients who do not respond well to existing treatments, the scientists say the possibility of another microdosing approach to treating these disorders requires “substantial examination”.
