Enduring changes in personality/attitudes , depression , spirituality , anxiety , wellbeing , substance misuse , meditative practice s , and mindfulness were documented .
Mystical experiences , connectedness , emotional breakthrough , and increased neural entropy were related to these long-term changes in psychological functioning .
Finally , with proper screening , preparation , supervision , and integration , limited aversive side effects were noted by study participants .
Research into the basic effects and therapeutic applications of  psychedelic drugs  has grown considerably in recent years .
Yet , pressing questions remain regarding the substances ' lasting effects .
Although individual studies have begun monitoring sustained changes , no study to- date has synthesized this information .
Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial
Cancer patients often develop chronic , clinical ly significant symptoms of depression and anxiety . Previous studies suggest that psilocybin may decrease depression and anxiety in cancer patients . The effects of psilocybin were studied in 51 cancer patients with life-threatening diagnoses and symptoms of depression and /or anxiety . This r and omized , double-blind , cross-over trial investigated the effects of a very low ( placebo-like ) dose ( 1 or 3 mg/70 kg ) vs. a high dose ( 22 or 30 mg/70 kg ) of psilocybin administered in counterbalanced sequence with 5 weeks between sessions and a 6-month follow-up . Instructions to participants and staff minimized expectancy effects . Participants , staff , and community observers rated participant moods , attitudes , and behaviors throughout the study . High-dose psilocybin produced large decreases in clinician- and self-rated measures of depressed mood and anxiety , along with increases in quality of life , life meaning , and optimism , and decreases in death anxiety . At 6-month follow-up , these changes were sustained , with about 80 % of participants continuing to show clinical ly significant decreases in depressed mood and anxiety . Participants attributed improvements in attitudes about life/self , mood , relationships , and spirituality to the high-dose experience , with > 80 % endorsing moderately or greater increased well-being/life satisfaction . Community observer ratings showed corresponding changes . Mystical-type psilocybin experience on session day mediated the effect of psilocybin dose on therapeutic outcomes . Trial Registration Clinical Trials.gov identifier :
Enduring changes in personality/attitudes , depression , spirituality , anxiety , wellbeing , substance misuse , meditative practice s , and mindfulness were documented .
Mystical experiences , connectedness , emotional breakthrough , and increased neural entropy were related to these long-term changes in psychological functioning .
Finally , with proper screening , preparation , supervision , and integration , limited aversive side effects were noted by study participants .
Research into the basic effects and therapeutic applications of  psychedelic drugs  has grown considerably in recent years .
Yet , pressing questions remain regarding the substances ' lasting effects .
Although individual studies have begun monitoring sustained changes , no study to- date has synthesized this information .