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 occasioned mystical-type experiences: immediate and persisting dose-related effects
Rationale This dose-effect study extends previous observations showing that psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having persisting positive effects on attitudes , mood , and behavior . Objectives This double-blind study evaluated psilocybin ( 0 , 5 , 10 , 20 , 30 mg/70 kg , p.o . ) administered under supportive conditions . Methods Participants were 18 adults ( 17 hallucinogen-naïve ) . Five 8-h sessions were conducted individually for each participant at 1-month intervals . Participants were r and omized to receive the four active doses in either ascending or descending order ( nine participants each ) . Placebo was scheduled quasi-r and omly . During sessions , volunteers used eyeshades and were instructed to direct their attention inward . Volunteers completed question naires assessing effects immediately after and 1 month after each session , and at 14 months follow-up . Results Psilocybin produced acute perceptual and subjective effects including , at 20 and /or 30 mg/70 kg , extreme anxiety/fear ( 39 % of volunteers ) and /or mystical-type experience ( 72 % of volunteers ) . One month after sessions at the two highest doses , volunteers rated the psilocybin experience as having substantial personal and spiritual significance , and attributed to the experience sustained positive changes in attitudes , mood , and behavior , with the ascending dose sequence showing greater positive effects . At 14 months , ratings were undiminished and were consistent with changes rated by community observers . Both the acute and persisting effects of psilocybin were generally a monotonically increasing function of dose , with the lowest dose showing significant effects . Conclusions Under supportive conditions , 20 and 30 mg/70 kg psilocybin occasioned mystical-type experiences having persisting positive effects on attitudes , mood , and behavior . Implication s for therapeutic trials are discussed
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 .