Psilocybin, which is found in magic mushrooms, was administered to depression patients in a pill CREDIT: ALAMY
According to the telegraph.co.uk, a hallucinogenic chemical found in magic mushrooms has successfully lifted severe depression in previously untreatable patients. Scientists at Imperial College London induced intense psychedelic trips in 12 people using high doses of the banned substance psilocybin.
A week after the experience all the volunteers were depression-free, and three months later five still had no symptoms of the condition.
Published in the Lancet Psychiatry Journal, the study welcomes the results as "promising, but not completely compelling."
Its authors are now seeking further funding from the Medical Research Council and other bodies to carry out fuller trials.
The psilocybin is believed to cause relief from depression by targeting receptors in the brain and disrupting the Default Mode Network, which is responsible for sense of self and is overactive in depressed people.
However, the scientists did not rule out that the psychedelic trip could have caused an "awakening", of the kind achieved by spiritual teaching, which also helped lift the depression.
"I wouldn’t want members of the public thinking they can treat their own depressions by picking magic mushrooms" -Dr Robin Carhart-Harris, Imperial College London
Professor David Nutt said current regulations made clinical trials extremely difficultCREDIT: UNIVERSAL NEWS AND SPORT
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