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 .
Increased amygdala responses to emotional faces after psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression
& NA ; Recent evidence indicates that psilocybin with psychological support may be effective for treating depression . Some studies have found that patients with depression show heightened amygdala responses to fearful faces and there is reliable evidence that treatment with SSRIs attenuates amygdala responses ( Ma , 2015 ) . We hypothesised that amygdala responses to emotional faces would be altered post‐treatment with psilocybin . In this open‐label study , 20 individuals diagnosed with moderate to severe , treatment‐resistant depression , underwent two separate dosing sessions with psilocybin . Psychological support was provided before , during and after these sessions and 19 completed fMRI scans one week prior to the first session and one day after the second and last . Neutral , fearful and happy faces were presented in the scanner and analyses focused on the amygdala . Group results revealed rapid and enduring improvements in depressive symptoms  post psilocybin .  Increased responses to fearful and happy faces were observed in the right amygdala post‐treatment , and right amygdala increases to fearful versus neutral faces were predictive of clinical improvements at 1‐week . Psilocybin with psychological support was associated with increased amygdala responses to emotional stimuli , an opposite effect to previous findings with SSRIs . This suggests fundamental differences in these treatments ' therapeutic actions , with SSRIs mitigating negative emotions and psilocybin allowing patients to confront and work through them . Based on the present results , we propose that psilocybin with psychological support is a treatment approach that potentially revives emotional responsiveness in depression , enabling patients to reconnect with their emotions . Trial registration : IS RCT N , number IS RCT N14426797 . This article is part of the Special Issue entitled ‘ Psychedelics : New Doors , Altered Perceptions ’ . HighlightsPsilocybin with psychological support was used successfully to treat depression . Amygdala responses to fearful faces were increased one day after psilocybin session . Increased amygdala responses predicted positive clinical outcomes .Psilocybin assisted therapy treats depression by reviving emotional responsiveness
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 .